


Fallen Star

by Sylvia_Fey



Series: Fallen Star [1]
Category: Sengoku Basara
Genre: Blood and Torture, Emotional, Explicit Language, F/M, Fanfiction, Other, Romance, Samurai, Sexual Content, Time Travel, female oc - Freeform, sengoku basara - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-12 10:12:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 29
Words: 99,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12957027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sylvia_Fey/pseuds/Sylvia_Fey
Summary: A woman takes a trip, with some friends, to Japan where she is sucked into a time warp, sending her far back into Japan's past to the Sengoku period. But there's a catch. She happens to be part of a prophecy to take out the badest samurai during this time. Can she do it? Will she have the confidence or the support to do it?... I don't think she's pack for this.





	1. Sucked In

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic that I actually finished. I have a few more in the making but, I'm glad I could start with this one. Enjoy!

        

"I'm heading out for a while, guys. I won't be gone long," Maxine Star called down the hallway as she headed for the door. 

        "Yo!" a caramel colored man with brown hair and green eyes blocked her path, giving her a grin as he leaned toward her, "where you headin' Max?"

        Max clicked her tongue, "I'm tired of dragging you around all day, Mark," she said, giving him a shove. 

        He chuckled and dramatically fell back against the wall, putting his hand to his chest, "why so violent? Jesse's the violent one in the group."

        "I fucking heard that!" a woman snarled from behind Max. Max turned, giving the short burnette a smile.

        "How do you put up with him, Jesse?" Max asked her as she stepped up between Mark and Max with her arms folded over her chest. Jesse glared at Mark, getting a nervous smile from him.

        "I don't," she said, turning to look at Max with suspicious brown eyes, "where the hell ARE you going, anyway?"

        Max shrugged, "I just wanted to go visit the sights. Is that so wrong?" she asked, tilting her head as she adjusted the backpack on her shoulder.

        "Without us!" Mark yelped, putting the back of his hand dramatically against his forehead, "I feel faint."

        Jesse frowned, socking him in the shoulder, making him yelp and rub where she hit, "I'll fucking give you something to faint about!"

        Max smiled at the two, thinking about when their parents had first gotten married and how pissed Jesse was about it. But, after so long, even Jesse got use to Mark. 

        "Make sure you have your phone, in case something happens," a small female voice said from the end of the hallway.

        Max held up her phone, showing it to the small blonde woman with a smile, "I always keep it on me, don't I?"

        The woman smiled, her big violet eyes closing before opening wide at Jesse putting Mark in, yet another, head lock. Max rolled her eyes and moved away from the two before it started to get too violent. She waved them all goodbye and left the motel. 

* * *

Maxine Star stood in awe of the sheer size of the castle in front of her. She had never seen anything like it before. She took in a deep breath, breathing in the smell of cherry blossoms and incense before looking down at the guide book she had bought before going on her vacation. She had always wanted to visit Japan, having been a huge fan of Japanese culture. She even took several months to learn how to properly speak Japanese in case she needed it. She grinned down at the book as she walked, manuvering through the gathering crowds of tourists and sellers. She took a breath, stepping off to the side to get out of the streets while flipping through the book. She glanced around, searching the area for something, anything, to get her away from the crowds. She spotted a trail that didn't look to have been used too often and decided to take it. She slipped through the crowds and headed up the trail, glancing back only briefly to make sure no one was following her. She smiled once the sounds of the crowds started to die down, and slowed her pace, taking in the trees and forestation that was around her. The birds singing in the trees made her feel like she was out of the city, almost, anyway.

  
         A clearing ahead brought her back to herself as she moved out, her emerald eyes falling on the broken stone statue of what could have been a giant monk. She slowly moved toward it, almost mezmorized by the size and stone. Moss and vines almost completely covered the giant, making it look older than it probably was. She stepped up the broken steps, making sure not to stumble over the rubble before standing right in front of the statue. She slid the back pack off her shoulders and opened it, putting the guide book in it before pulling out a camera. She smiled as she closed the back pack and stood, pulling the bag onto her back before lacing the camera strap over her neck. She lifted the camera and started snapping pictures, only to hesitate when the flash seemed to remove the vines for a second. She blinked, clicking through the camera pictures before looking at the one she had just taken. She picture was blurred, which made her frown before taking a step back. She snapped another picture and checked it, giving a shrug at the clear photo before snapping a couple of extra. She took a relieved breath and let the camera hang from her neck before something shining caught her eye. She leaned forward slightly, narrowing her eyes at she tried to look through the vines. It winked at her before shining a little brighter. She wrinkled her brow and moved forward, her hand automatically going up to touch the shining thing, only to be grabbed by some invisible force. Her eyes widened as she was yanked from her feet and through the vines.

  
       Air and color rushed past her, making her ears pop and eyes water. She felt like she was falling but thought that that couldn't be right. She gave a holler as the colors cleared enough for her to see a huge battle raging on below her...Wait...Below!?! She blinked, her mouth opening in a scream as the ground rushed up to meet her. She covered her head with her arms, praying that this wasn't the end of her as she hit, bouncing high and fast across the ground until she came to a rolling stop. She lost consciousness for a moment before groaning and slowly opening her eyes. She grunted, gritting her teeth as she stiffly pushed herself to her feet. _I'm not dead?_ she thought as she put her hand to her head and stumbled slightly, trying to regain her balance. She closed her eyes against a wave of pain that almost brought her to her knees, but quickly shook it off as she opened one eye and glanced out. She blinked, slowly lowering her hand to her side as she looked around her. Men dressed in different colored armors branishing different weapons stood staring at her with wide, fearful eyes, leaving a wide space around her, like she had a plague or something. She blinked again, turning to look at the men behind her before giving them a nervous smile and lifting her hand, "uh...hi?"


	2. In The Frey

 

They glanced at one another, looking as confused and unsure as she was before a loud voice echoed across the battlefield.  
  
"FALLEN STAR!" the deep voice growled.  
  
Max glanced toward a large mountain looking hill, her eyes widening slightly as a man jumped into the air, leaving behind a cloud of dust and the two men who seemed to be fighting him. She followed him as he came down, landing in front of her like some villian out of an anime. She shielded her face from the rocks and dust and closed her eyes, before looking between her arms to the large demonic looking man in front of her. She blinked lowering her arms to her sides as he glared at her with red eyes.  
  
He pointed his oversized sword at her as gave her a menacing smirk, "Fallen Star, you will join me or you will die where you stand," he said, his voice sending a cold chill down her spine.  
  
She swallowed and licked her lips before taking a step back and shaking her head, "look, buddy. I don't know who the fuck you are, but I'm NOT joining anybody," she said, proud that her voice wasn't as shakey as she felt.  
  
The man snorted, lifting his sword above his head, "then you die," he growled, bringing it down toward her.  
  
She blinked, her only thoughts were to block and run, but her legs wouldn't work. She felt time slow, the sword swing moving down to her as she lifted her arms to shield herself from the blow. _Why didn't the fall kill me?_ she thought before feeling herself being jerked and lifted away. Time sped up as the sound of the sword hitting the ground brought her back to herself. She took a quick short breath, realizing that she was being held before slowly opening her eyes. She blinked at the man holding her, giving her a sly smirk through the green face paint across his nose and cheeks.  
  
"Are you alright?" he asked, lowering her to her feet.  
  
She blinked again, looking back toward the large man as he glared at them. She shook her head, feeling her body tremble as the man's red eyes bore into her, "no," she whispered.  
  
"You shouldn't be on the battlefield if you can't fight," the man in green camo said, moving to stand in front of her.  
  
She blinked before swallowing and nodding her head, "yeah," she said, but her legs wouldn't move, her eyes fixated on the man in front of them.  
  
The demonic man pointed his giant sword at them, "give me the fallen star, ninja," he growled, his deep voice demanding.  
  
Max swallowed and gave the man in front of her a little push, making him glance over his shoulder at her with a confused look, "here, you can have the fallen star ninja," she said, her voice a little higher than what she intended.  
  
"I think he means you," the ninja said, turning his attention back to the demonic man, "if you want her so badly, Demon King, come and claim her."  
  
Max's eyes got so wide she thought they were about to pop out of her head, "no! No! Don't come and claim her!" she said, frantically waving her arms in front of her as if to ward him off as she took a step back, "really! It's okay!"  
  
The scarey man started toward them, his red eyes on her as if the ninja in front of her didn't exist. She stepped back, glad that her legs were starting to work again, but still terrified.  
  
"Nobunaga!" a voice cried as a man in red rushed toward them, a trident like spear in each hand, "AS VASSEL OF LORD TAKEDA SHINGEN, I, SANADA YUKIMURA, THE YOUNG CUB, WILL CRUSH YOU!"  
  
He reached the demon king, bringing his trident spear down toward the man, only to have it deflected. The man in red stabbed at Nobunaga's sword, catching it between the prongs as a man in blue appeared in the sky, bringing six blades down onto the sword with such force, Max had to cover her eyes against the blinding light. She heard the blade crack and break under the pressure from the three fighters before they broke apart. She slowly lowered her arms and looked at the broken blade in front of the two new men. She glanced toward where she thought the demon king guy would be and gave a surprised yelp as a large, armored arm wrapped around her waist and lifted her from the ground. The two men turned, ready to fight again only to pause when they saw her being held in front of Nobunaga.  
  
She glared down at the arm around her waist and tried to push it away to no avail, "get the hell off of me!" she growled, beating her fists against his forearm before feeling something sharp and cold against her throat, forcing her to stop.  
  
"Stand down and surrender to me or I will kill the fallen star," Nobunaga warned, his breath hot on the back of her neck.  
  
She blinked, feeling scared and desperate as the blade dug into her throat while she swallowed. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, mentally praying before slowly opening her eyes to stare out at the men. The battle ground had become alive again with the sounds of metal on metal. Men cried out as they were cut down. The sharp scent of copper assaulted her nose as a man near them lost his head. She felt sick, watching the body drop to it's knees before falling to the side as the head rolled away from them. She swallowed the bile in her throat and closed her eyes again, wishing that she had gone to another tourist trap instead of going off into the forest.  
  
"Release the girl, Demon king!" the man in blue hollered, narrowing his single eye at the man behind her.  
  
She felt the man behind her smirk, his grip around her waist suddenly tightening to the point that it was almost hurting. She gasped against the pain, squinting her eyes as she tried to wiggle out of his grip. The blade was put against her throat again, stopping her movements.  
  
"I will not release the fallen star only to have the prophecy full-filled against me," he growled, his head turning slightly to look at her with an evil grin that made her shiver, "you will decide this war in my favor, fallen star, or I shall kill you here and now."  
  
Max gound her teeth as the blade bit into her skin, making her wince at the sharp pain as a small trail of blood trickled down her throat and into her shirt collar. She closed her eyes, hoping that someone, anyone, would get her away from this man. A sharp sound of metal hitting metal brought her eyes back open and toward the ninja from earlier. He had attacked Nobunaga, forcing the demon king to use the blade he had had against her neck for his own defence. She blinked, feeling the arm around her waist loosen slightly as he turned slightly toward the ninja. _Now's my chance_ , she thought, bringing her elbow around to hit the demon king in the eye. He grunted, his arm loosening enough to drop her to the ground. She ducked out of his arm, trying to rush away only to get her long auburn hair grabbed, pulling her to a stop with a screech of pain. She gripped her hair as he jerked her back toward him. She resisted, stumbling only slightly before trying to pull away. She turned her eyes toward the two men, watching as the one in blue rushed forward, followed by the one in red, swinging their weapons around to hit Nobunaga. The demon king looked at them, moving his head around to avoid being hit by either weapon while keeping his grip on her hair. He dodged, stepping back a few paces and taking her with him.  
  
She yelped, trying to dig her heels into the ground before squinting her eyes closed while holding her head, "CUT IT!" she cried, trying to pull back and away from him a second before she fell back onto her butt. She blinked, watching several strands of hair fall from the demon king's fingers to the ground, before the glint of a blade brought her attention up to the man in blue.  
  
He turned his head slightly, giving her the eye-patch, before giving her a nod toward the edge of the trees, "get out of here before you get hurt," he said, bringing his blades up before rushing forward.  
  
She blinked back into herself and scuttled to her feet before taking off toward the trees. She dodged through the battling men, trying to keep from getting cut down or hit. She ducked under a wildly swung blade, narrowly being missed as a loud explosion brought her to a stop. She glanced off toward another area where a man clad in purple with wild white hair attacked a woman wearing a sexy cut kimono with butterflies covering it. The woman lifted her pistol, pointing it at the man before releasing a berrage of bullets. He smirked, spinning his anchor spear causing another explosion that sent out a wave of air and dirt, forcing her to bring her arms up to protect her face. She blinked at her arms, lifting her eyes to stare, wide-eyed at the fighting before she heard the sound of slithering from behind her. She turned, blinking at the pale man with long white hair as he moved toward her with a chilling grin and sharp, evil eyes. She took several steps back, her mind screaming that she needed to get away from this whole situation. She turned, stumbling over the body of a man that was alive a few seconds ago, before falling to the ground.  
  
"Damn it!" she growled, trying to scurry to her feet before the man grabbed her, lifting her from the ground and holding her under his arm. She gave a surprised yelp before trying to wiggle out of his grip, "let go!"  
  
The man grinned at her, chilling the blood in her veins as he looked at her with cold grey eyes, "you have a vital part to play in this war, Fallen Star," he hissed, making her cringe.  
  
"I'm not playing anything," she growled, back, starting to become tired from the fear, "now let go!"  
  
She brought her elbow around, hitting the man in the groin. He dropped her as he, himself, dropped to the ground in agony. She grunted and got to her feet, glancing at the man for only a second before starting for the forest again. A gun shot rang out, followed by a hot, sharp pain eminating through her shoulder. She screamed in pain as she stumbled, her hand instantly going to the wound on her shoulder as she tried to keep herself upright. She had never been shot before and gritted her teeth against the pain. She winced as she lifted her head up, looking at the woman that stood smirking at her with the gun pointed at her. She took several short breaths, trying to push past the burning pain as the woman moved forward.  
  
"My Lord Husband, Nobunaga wants you alive," she said, her eyes cold as ice, "but he never said in one piece."  
  
She pulled the hammer back on the gun, making Max close her eyes as she braced herself for another shot. An explosion threw her back, causing her to tumble backwards until she hit something, making her hiss in pain before gripping her shoulder again. She slowly opened her eyes, looking at the woman as she stood facing off against the man in purple.  
  
"We weren't finished, bitch," he deep, gravely voice growled as he slammed his anchor spear into the ground, "not until you die!"  
  
They rushed at one another, fighting hand to hand as soon as they met. She took several deep breaths, her vision starting to blur until her eyes settled on one of the woman's pistols laying a few feet away from her. She glanced up at the man and woman as they moved farther away, the man starting to get the upper hand. She looked back at the gun, stealing her courage before pushing herself up and trying to run for the gun. She stumbled a few times, ignoring the pain in her shoulder as she fell and stood again. _A few more steps_ , she thought before a large hand grabbed her shirt, pulling her to a stop. She gave a holler as she was lifted from the ground and thrown over a shoulder.  
"I have the fallen star," Nobunaga's voice said from beside her hip, "we must leave, now!"  
  
She gritted her teeth, beating her fist against his metal clad back, "put me down!" she hollered, her energy starting to drain.  
  
"Nobunaga!" a voice snarled, bringing her attention to the man in red as he and the man in blue rushed toward them, "YOUR DEFEAT IS NOW!"  
  
Max's eyes widened as the man in blue lept into the air, bringing his swords down as the man in red rushed forward, hitting Nobunaga in the side. Nobunaga stumbled while blocking the blue man's swords, dropping her to the ground as he tried to regain his balance. She scuttled back, trying to get away from the men fighting as she rolled over. Her eyes settled on the gun, now within arm's reach, and she grabbed it. It was heavy in her hands, but she was tired of everyone trying to take off with her. She rolled onto her back, lifting herself slightly as she took aim at the demon king and pulled the trigger. The sound of the gun shot was almost deafening as she lay there, her hands shaking with the gun still pointed. Nobunaga looked at her with angry red eyes as blood blossomed from his hip. He grunted, falling to one knee as the two from earlier suddenly appeared beside him.  
  
"My lord husband," the woman cooed, turning her eyes toward Max as the girl stiffly got to her feet, training the gun on them. The woman started to stand and face her as the creepy snake like guy helped Nobunaga to his feet.  
  
"We don't have time, Nohime" the pale man hissed, his sharp eyes moving to her as he grinned, "we'll have to capture the fallen star some other time."  
  
The woman's face distorted into one of anger before she threw down a smoke bomb, covering their retreat. Max coughed through the smoke, covering her mouth and nose as she did before the smoke cleared. She took a few deep breaths, staring at the spot where they had been as the man in red frantically searched the area. She felt the gun slip from her fingers, landing on the ground with a loud thud as she turned slightly to look out over the area. The men had stopped fighting and were now staring at her. She felt herself start to fall, but stumbled, her own will keeping her standing as she lifted her hand to the wound on her shoulder.  
  
"You, woman," the man in red growled, moving toward her with purpose. He stopped a few feet in front of her, his brown eyes glaring at her as he pointed at her with his trident spear, "tell me where they have taken Oda Nobunaga."  
  
She blinked at him a few times, the words not registering as her vision blurred, "I...don't...." she mumbled, watching the blackness start to cloud her vision, "...where..."


	3. The Lords of the Sengoku

 

She heard soft voices whispering, bringing her back to the surface of the blackness. She slowly opened her eyes, staring up at the cloth of a tent for a few seconds before she took a deep breath, slowly lifting herself into a sitting position. She glanced around the area, noting that she was in a tent of some sort before looking down at her hands in her lap. She winced at the pain in her shoulder, bringing her hand up to cover the bandages covering her wound. She took another deep breath, closing her eyes before opening them and blinking a few times at her backpack, sitting against the tent. The tent flap opened, bringing her attention, slowly, toward the man standing in the entrance. The ninja.

  
"Good, you're awake," he said, giving her a smile as he moved across the tent to kneel beside her bed. She watched as he lowered the tray he held to the floor beside him and started pouring a hot liquid into a small cup. He lifted the cup and held it out to her with both hands, "here, you should drink this," he said, giving her a small, comforting smile, "it will help with the pain."

  
She cleared her throat and shook her head, nodding toward her bag, "I have some stuff in my bag," she said, her voice scratchy from lack of use and screaming. He held the cup toward her for a few more seconds before sighing and setting it back on the tray. She cleared her throat again, "where am I?"

  
He looked at her, his warm brown eyes calculating, "you are in our camp just south of Osaka," he said, watching as she tilted her head, giving him a confused stare.

  
She swallowed past the cotton in her throat and cleared her throat again, wrinkling her brow as she seemed to be thinking about something, "what year is it?" she asked, her voice starting to regain it's strength.

  
"1586," he said, making her blink and turn to stare at him with wide eyes.

  
"What?" she hissed, her eyes quickly darting to her bag as she tried to stand, "I have to..." a wave of dizziness hit her, making her sway and put her hand to her head.

  
He placed his hands gently on her shoulder, "you shouldn't try to stand," he said, trying to gently push her back onto the bed, "you lost quite a bit of blood from your wound."

  
She shook her head, brushing his hand off her shoulder as she pushed herself to her feet, "I have to figure out how to get back," she said, stumbling slightly as she started for her bag.

  
He grabbed her around the waist, holding her in place for a second, "see? You keep this up and you'll fall down," he said, his voice almost making a joke out of it. The problem with that was, she didn't find it funny.

  
She moved away from him, standing still for a moment to test herself before heading to her bag. She knelt down and opened her bag, searching through it for her extra clothing she had brought along, in case she had been caught in a storm and needed to take shelter for whatever reason. Always prepared for the worst...except for this. She pulled the clothing from her bag and stood, letting the kimono that she was put in drop. She had completely forgot that the ninja was still there until he cleared his throat.  
"You aren't really shy, are you?" he asked, sounding a little embarrased.

  
I don't have time to be embarrassed, she told herself as she slipped the shirt over her head and stepped into the pants. She straightened, quickly closing the bag as she winced, the pain in her arm reminding her that she was injured. She took a deep breath, reaching into one of the side pockets and pulling out a small bottle of pain pills. She tapped two into her hand and swallowed, not worrying about them sticking to the back of her throat before slinging the bag over her shoulder and making her way toward the tent flap.  
"Wait a minute," the ninja said, catching her arm before she could leave, "didn't you hear me? You aren't well enough to be up out of bed."

  
She glared at him, "says who?" she growled, smacking at his hand, "I can do whatever the fuck I want until I figure out how to go home."

  
He narrowed his eyes at her, his grip tightening slightly, "and where is that?" he asked, mockingly.

  
She tried to pull away, leaning back slightly as she glared at him, "to the year 2017," she growled, making his eyes widen in surprise and his grip loosen. She stumbled back, falling out of the tent and onto her back in the dirt with an OOF. She gritted her teeth, rolling onto her side as she gripped her wound. "Fuck," she groaned, rolling onto her knees as she stiffly got to her feet.

  
"Ah, you are up," a deep voice brought her attention to a man standing a few feet away. He gave her a gentle smile as approached. His dark brown hair was slicked back, showing the scar that cut down his left cheek and jaw. His brown eyes were gentle as well before the ninja strolled out of the tent, "Sasuke, there you are."

  
Max would have laughed at the irony of a ninja named Sasuke, but right now, she wanted to get as far away from these people as possible.

  
"I came to give this woman some medical tea, but she refused it," he said, nodding toward her.

  
The new man turned his brown eyes on her, watching her like he was studying her, "is that so?"

  
She narrowed her eyes at him for a moment before clicking her tongue and turning away from them. She started to walk toward the tree line when a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She glanced at the hand before turning to look at the new man.

  
"My name is Katakura Kojuro, the right eye of the One-Eyed Dragon of Oushuu, Date Masamune," he said, making her raise her eyebrow at him, "your presence has been requested to the meeting of the warlords."

  
Max blinked at him before shaking her head, "no," she said, turning on her heels and starting toward the treeline again.

  
"What?" the man's voice sounded surprised, as he rushed forward to walk beside her, "what do you mean, 'no'?"

  
She glanced at him, "I'm going home...however, whenever and where ever that is," she said, turning her attention back toward the trees, "so tell your boss, thanks, but no thanks."

  
He moved up quickly to stand in front of her, blocking her path, "I think it would be best for you to meet with the warlords," he said, his expression stern as he stared at her.

  
She snorted, "and I think it would be best for you to just leave me alone," she growled, stepping to the side to move around him.

  
He moved as well, blocking her path as he set his hand on the hilt of one of his swords, "I'm not giving you a choice. You can either go to the war tent willingly, or I will drag you there, myself," he said, his eyes burrowing into her.

  
He would have been more intimidating...if she hadn't met the Demon King. She folded her arms over her chest, "I'd like to see you try," she growled, glaring back at him.

  
He gave a small nod, "as you wish," he said before moving forward and lifting her from the ground, tossing her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

  
She yelped in surprise before beating her fists against his back as he moved, "mother fucker! PUT ME DOWN!" she snarled, bringing her elbow around to connect with the back of his head. He stumbled forward, grunting as his grip loosened slightly. She gave a swift kick back, her heel connecting with his forehead, knocking him back slightly. She slipped forward from his shoulder, putting her hands on the ground as she did a somersault to her feet. He was leaning forward now, his hand to his forehead, giving her the opportunity to make a break for it. She turned to run, only to be stopped by four men in blue armor. They glared at her as they took a step toward her, trying to back her down. She swallowed, not sure how to, or if she could, fight all these men.

  
"How dare you hurt Bossman Katakura," the one with a pompador hair-do said as he leaned toward her slightly.

  
"Yeah, lady," another man, with a armor type thing around his chin and jaw said as he stepped up next to the other one.

  
"Who do you think you are anyway, to be talking to Bossman Katakura like that?" a tubby man said as he stood next to the first two.

  
"Yeah," said the last one.

  
She blinked at them a few seconds before an idea hit her. She blinked really fast and put her hand to her mouth, pointing off behind them like there was a monster. They blinked before all four of them turned, seeming ready to fight whatever it was. She scoffed, turning to run between the tents only to be stopped by Kojuro. He stood watching her with angry eyes, his sword drawn and pointed at her.

  
"I was trying to be nice," he growled, nodding off down the line of tents, "now, walk, woman."

  
She took a deep breath before closing her eyes and starting to walk. She glanced over her shoulder at Kojuro and the four idiots before turning back to the path. Kojuro had put his blade away, having decided he didn't need it at the moment. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, glancing over her shoulder again before taking a sharp turn and cutting through the tents at a sprint. She heard him holler before they gave chase, but she could only smile. She was a championship racer in college and kept it up when she had time. She turned a corner only to grunt as she ran into something and was lifted from the ground. She inhaled deeply, trying to regain what air had been knocked out of her as the man carried her around the tents.

  
"Sasuke," Kojuro's voice sounded breathy.

  
"It's a good thing I decided to postpone my scouting mission for a few more minutes or you would have lost this little mynx," Sasuke's voice laughed as he walked with her over his shoulder.

  
She finally regained some air and shook her head, putting her elbow hard between his shoulder blades, "jerk!" she snarled, making him laugh.

  
"You won't accomplish anything if you keep trying to run away," he said, glancing over his shoulder at her, "you'll only make things worse for yourself."

  
She glared back, kicking a few times before snorting, "I haven't done anything," she growled, trying to get him to put her down, "I just want to go home."

  
"Everyone thinks that you're with the Demon King and that shooting him was just a ploy to get you, a spy, on our side," he said, his voice even and stern.

  
She scoffed, "I don't even know what the fuck is going on! How am I a spy for some guy I don't know?" she asked, getting angry at everything.

  
"Look, unfortunately for you," he said, leaning down and letting her slid off his shoulder and onto the ground, "it's not for me, or even you to decide. The warlords of the land will make that decision."

  
"You can't just go around fucking accusing someone of being a spy when you don't know a damned thing about them!" she exclaimed, her voice starting to go high the angrier she got.

  
Sasuke gave her a shrug and motioned toward the flap of a tent, "then prove it."

  
She blinked at him before shaking her head and folding her arms over her chest, "I'm not going in there and you can't make me," she growled.

  
Sasuke sighed and shook his head before leaning toward her. She stood her ground for a few moments before he brought his foot around, hooking her knees and giving her upper body a shove. She stumbled back into the tent and fell on her butt, glaring at the tent flap with all her anger. Sasuke gave her a smug smile as he entered with Kojuro behind. She got to her feet, her hand going to her wound as a dull pain started to shoot through her shoulder. She closed her eyes before slowly opening them and turning to face the men in the tent. All eyes were on her and she could feel the weight of them. The tension was so thick you could almost cut it with a knife. She swallowed and could swear that they could hear her heart pounding in her chest.

  
"Welcome to the war council, Fallen Star," a man wearing all green said, making her jump slightly. He looked a little like a plant, with the way he was dressed.

  
She narrowed her eyes at him, "actually, it's Max Star," she said, her eyes moving around the room before settling back on the man in green, "the one guy with the wicked looking armor called me that too. Why?"

  
"Apparently, there's a prophecy that says a fallen star will decide the outcome of the war," the man in blue said, watching her with the one left blue eye. If she had to guess, this man was Date Masamune, the One-Eyed Dragon, "that star seems to be you."

  
She blinked at him and shook her head, "no," she said, making him tilt his head slightly.

  
"She's just a woman with a strange taste in clothing," the man in purple said, eyeing her with his right eye. His left eye was covered with an eye patch. _Why does everyone wear an eye patch in this era?_ she thought as she glared back as he continued. "She cannot possibly be this fallen star from the prophecy, assuming that you didn't just make it up, Motonari Mori."

  
She glanced between the two as they glared at one another, taking note of the rivalry as the man in red spoke.

  
"I agree with Chosokabe," he said, giving her his own glare, "how do we not know that this prophecy wasn't planted long ago to make us think that we would need an Oda spy?" he slammed his fist onto the table in front of him, "I will not be so easily tricked."

  
She glared at him before glancing at the others. It felt surreal, watching others decide her fate when the only thing she wanted to do was go home. She felt her blood pressure start to rise from being cut out of her own say in her life.

  
"The prophecy is true," the man in green, Motonari, said, his voice matter-of-fact, "I have seen and read it with my own eyes."

  
"Lies!" the man in red said, glaring across the tent to Motonari.

  
"Then why not let the woman prove it?" Masamune said, looking at the man in red, "if she can fight, then she is the fallen star of the prophecy and if she can't," he looked at her then, "we kill her."

  
Chosokabe gave a smile before looking at her, "I like that idea."

  
Her eyes widened, "the fuck kind of honky tonk bull shit is this?" she said, her voice high and angry, bringing everyone's attention to her, "don't I get a fucking say in my own damn life?"

  
"Alright then," Masamune said, getting to his feet, "would you rather fight one of us, or would you rather we cut you down now?"

  
She stared at him for a moment as he smirked at her, not believeing what she was hearing. Did he really just give her a choice in how she wanted to die? She closed her eyes and slowly opened them, settling her eyes on Masamune, "look, all I want to do is go home, okay? I don't want any part of this war that y'all are fighting, alright? So, I have a better idea. You let me leave and I'll stay out of your hair," she said, knowing from the grin she was getting that that wasn't going to happen.

  
"And risk you being a spy," Masamune laughed before shaking his head, "I don't think so."

  
She took a deep breath, "I'm not this, fallen star that you people keep calling me, okay. I just wanted to visit Japan. Take a few pictures. Make a few memories. Forget a few memories and go home," she said, with a shrug. She winced, feeling that the pain killers weren't working anymore, "that's it. If I knew that I would take a trip through time and get shot I would have stayed with my friends at the Hotel."

  
Masamune's face become serious, "trip through time?" he asked, glancing back at the others as if they knew.

  
"Apparently, our lady friend here is from the year 2017," Sasuke spoke up, making their eyes widen at the information.

  
Max snorted, "I ain't no fucking friend of yours buddy," she growled, getting a grin from the ninja before she looked at the others. She blinked a few times, her eyes widening slightly as they seemed to be studying her, "what?"

  
The man in red stood and stalked across the tent toward her. He stood a few feet from her before leaning forward, his brown eyes narrowed, like he could see whatever lie he thought she was telling. She leaned back slightly, giving him a worried, confused look before putting her finger against his forehead, "it's not nice to stare," she grumbled, giving his head a slight push.

  
He stood straight, grabbing her wrist and jerking her forward, making her stumble a step before glaring up at him, "prove it, Oda spy," he growled, his grip tightening.

  
She narrowed her eyes, ignoring the pain starting in her wrist before stepping into him, "I don't have to prove shit to you or anybody here," she growled in his face, "now let go of my fucking wrist."

  
They glared at one another for a few minutes until the ninja stepped up, putting something between them. She blinked, recognizing her camera before taking it, "my camera."

The man in red, released her as she started to go through the pictures, "you better not have erased anything, spook," she grumbled, going over the images in her head as she went through them. She paused at the picture she took of the broken budda statue. The vines were missing and it looked like the statue was shimmering slightly. She turned the camera around to show to the man in red, "this is where I was and one of the last pictures I took before I was brought here," she explained, only to realize her explaination had fallen on deaf ears.

  
The man in red stared at the screen with wide, almost fearful eyes as the others started to gather behind him to look as well. "What sorcery is this?" he asked, moving his hand out to touch the screen.

  
Max sighed and shook her head, "it's like creating an instant painting," she said, thinking that was the best way to decribe it in this time period.

  
"It's amazing," Kojuro said from the side.

  
Max shrugged, "everybody in my time have these," she said, looking at everyone, "or some form of it."

  
"You have a lot of these in your world?" Masamune asked, tilting his head and squinting his eye.

  
She laughed, "it's the same world you live in, I just live in a different place in the time line," she said, offering the camera to the man in red, "you can try it out. Just don't break it, mess with any of the settings or drop it," she said, showing him which buttons to push to take a picture before he started snapping photos of everything...literally everything.

  
Masamune snatched the camera from him, holding it high above his head as he held the man in red back with his arm, "my turn to use it," he said with a smile.

  
The man in red growled, trying to jump to get the camera before the man in purple took it from Masamune. He turned it around and around, putting the lense of the camera toward him before pressing a button. The camera flashed, snapping a photo of his face while blinding him in the process. He growled, covering his eye before the camera fell from his hand. She gasped, her body lerching forward before Sasuke caught it and turned it around the right way. She let out a calming breath and watched as Sasuke seemed to think about something.

  
"Could this be used to gather intelligence from our enemies?" he asked, bringing everyone's attention to her.

  
She shrugged, "yeah. Most governments use cameras to gather information so I don't see why not," she said as he handed it back to her, "but I'd only let you use it if I don't have to decide between dieing or...dieing." She glanced at Masamune who narrowed his eye at her before giving a sigh.

  
"Fine, but if we find out that you are a spy," he said, drawing one of his swords and pointing it at her, "I will not hesitate to plant my blade in your heart."

  
She watched him for a moment with unamused eyes, "I guarantee that I am not," she said, changing the flash setting to off before handing it back to Sasuke, "I assume that you don't want them to know where you are when you take the pictures, so I turned the flash off."

  
Sasuke gave a nod and smile before putting the strap over his head, "I promise not to break it," he said, walking out of the tent.

  
"You do and I'll take it out of your hide," she growled under her breath before turning back to the men she was left with, "so, what now?"


	4. Protecting The Injured

 

She took a deep breath, watching the warlords talk amongst themselves about how best to take out the demon king while sitting the farthest in the room next to the man in red. Just the thought of that man made her skin crawl and her blood run cold.

  
"Yukimura and I would have had him but we were...Interupted," Masamune said, his blue eye glancing at her.

  
She snorted and folded her arms over her chest, "I'll tell you next time I decide to leap through time and ruin your fight, okay?" she asked, her voice thick with sarcasm.

  
Masamune smirked, "that would be appreciated," he said, making her roll her eyes.

  
"The advantage we have over the demon king is that we now possess the fallen star," Motonari said, looking at her with those thin eyes.

  
She glared at him, "possess? Like I'm some fucking trophy or something?" she growled, tilting her head slightly.

  
He just stared at her, unblinking with a strained smile.

  
"So, how exactly is she supposed to decide the fate of the war?" Chosokabe, the man in purple, asked, leaning back slightly as he looked at Motonari, "she's just a woman, from what I can see."

  
Max motioned toward him, "thank you!" she said, shooting the plant guy a glare, "at least someone here isn't delusional."

  
Motonari's face became serious, "I am not, delusional," he said, his voice becoming strained and angry.

  
She glared back, feeling her blood start to boil, "only someone completely delusional would say that," she growled, causing Motonari to sit up straighter, like that would intimidate her. She felt herself straighten in response, as if they were about to face down one another right then and there, "do something," she challenged.

  
The sound of chuckling stopped whatever move Motonari was going to make, bringing the man's attention to Chosokabe.

  
"I like her," he chuckled in his deep, gravely voice.

  
Motonari frowned before looking back at Max, "she is...not what I expected in a prophecy."

  
Max glared at him harder, "I'm right fucking here. Don't talk about me like I'm not," she growled, pointing at the ground in front of her.

  
Her and Motonari glared at one another for a few moments before Kojuro spoke. "My question is, how is someone who, obviously, doesn't have any combat experience going to turn the war in our favor?"

  
She glanced at him before nodding toward Motonari, "this prophecy sounded more like I would turn it in whoever's favor I deem fit, not yours specifically."

  
Yukimura, the man in red, glared at her, "I knew you were a spy," he growled.

  
She rolled her eyes, "I'm not a spy but you people haven't given me any reason to help you with anything," she pointed out, glancing around the tent, "prophecy or not, there hasn't been a damn nice thing done to me, or for me since I dropped out of 2017. You've accused me of being a spy," she glared at Yukimura, "threatened my life," she glanced at Kojuro, "and gave me the choice to die on my knees or fighting," she narrowed her eyes at Masamune, "the only mother fucker in this camp that hasn't done anything to upset me is the pirate king (she said this as a joke) over there," she motioned to the man in purple before crossing her arms over her chest, "and honestly, I'm waiting for it." She thought for a moment before holding up her finger, "wait! I take that back. The ninja saved my life when that demon creep was about to kill me." The thought of the battle she had dropped into made her stomach flip as her hand went to her chopped up hair. A large portion of her once ass length auburn hair was now slightly longer than shoulder length. She gave a sigh, _It took me forever to grow my hair out_ , she thought before looking up at Motonari, "so you can take your prophecy and shove it, because at this point, I'm not helping any of you with shit."

  
Chosokabe snorted, getting to his feet as he did, "then you're worthless to us," he said, his voice almost making it a growl.

  
She looked him with annoyed eyes before motioning toward him, "and there it is."

  
He blinked at her before shaking his head, "you don't understand, woman. If you're going to be in this camp, you're going to work. If you don't work, then there's no point in attempting to keep you here or alive," he said, heading for the tent flap, "I will not help someone who doesn't help my men."

  
She watched him leave, knowing that she would probably say the same thing. Why should they help her if she doesn't help them? They didn't know her at all. The others stood as well, leaving her kneeling on the pillow as she thought about what he said.

  
"Chosokabe's right about that, but I don't think we should just let you wander around unsupervised," Masamune's voice brought her back from her thoughts as she looked at the one eyed man, "so, Kojuro will keep an eye on you until we figure out what to do with you."

  
Kojuro gave a nod, not argueing whether he wanted to watch her or not. She gave a strained laugh, "you're keeping your right eye on me?" she asked, grinning to keep from laughing at the irony of it.

  
"Well, I do need my left to see where I'm going," Masamune said, chuckling as he slapped Kojuro on the back, "don't let her cause too much trouble."

  
Kojuro smiled, "I'll try not to," he said, watching his boss leave before turning his obsidian gaze on her, "come with me, woman."

  
She snorted as she stood. She stumbled slightly, not use to sitting on her knees for long periods of time before looking at Kojuro, "I have a name, you know," she growled, leading the way out of the tent.

  
Kojuro took lead, walking slightly in front of her as they made their way through the tents. Her eyes moved over everything that was going on. Some men were laughing and drinking. Others were preparing meals and chopping vegetables. And others were helping injured men into tents that she assumed were to treat the wounds. Her hand went to her own wounded shoulder as she watched the wounded men still on the battlefield. She felt awful, watching them laying there, groaning and whimpering as the ones who weren't severly injured tried to hurry and get them off the field.

  
"The battle left many injured on both sides," Kojuro's voice brought her mind back.

  
She hadn't realized she had stopped walking. She glanced at her shoulder before dropping her hand, "who patched me up?" she asked, looking out at the men.

  
"Lord Masamune did," he said, making her groan slightly.

  
She sighed and ran her hand through her hair, frowning when most of it fell away after a long sweep, "great, now I have to tell him thanks," she mumbled before looking at Kojuro, "I assume that Yukimura wanted to just leave me there."

  
Kojuro shrugged, "you would have to ask him," he said, watching her as she looked back out at the men, "what are you thinking?"

  
She let out a breath of air through her nose, "I'm thinking how most of those men are going to die if they stay out there much longer," she said, her voice low, as if she was voicing her thoughts, "and you probably can't afford to lose anymore."

  
Kojuro watched the woman, her thoughts surprising him slightly, after she tried to run from them earlier and said that she wouldn't help them, but that didn't surprise him as much as when she started walking toward the battlefield. He reached out, taking hold on her arm and pulling her to a stop. She glared at him with emerald eyes as he spoke, "what are you doing?"

  
"I'm going to get some bandages and help them before they bleed out and die," she growled, jerking her arm away from him, "or would you rather I go back to my tent?"

Kojuro's eyes searched her's as she glared at him before snorting, "that's what I thought," she growled, stalking away from him and toward a table that they had placed bandages on. She scooped up a couple and stuffed them in her backpack for easy carry before heading out onto the battlefield. Her stomach flipped with each squishy foot step, knowing that she was stepping in someone else's blood. She swallowed the bile and kept her eyes focused, ignoring the dead as she made her way across the field to the men farthest out.

  
The man wore purple pants and a spotted purple bandana. If she was judging by color, she could only assume that this was one of Chosokabe's men, but right now, he was just a man who needed help. He groaned, his uninjured eye looking at her before widening.

  
"I'm not ready," he whispered, making her blink at him as she unloaded the bandages and her first aid kit.

  
"Not ready for what?" she asked, cutting a large piece of bandage from the roll and getting out some gauze.

  
"Please don't take me, angel," he whispered, his voice hoarse.

  
She smiled at him and shook her head, "I'm not an angel. I'm just here to help until someone can get to you," she said, gently placing her hand on his shoulder, "can you sit up?"

  
He gave her a small smile and lifted himself up, with her help, "that's good, I wasn't ready to abandon my captain."

  
She ignored the comment and placed the gauze over his missing eye before wrapping the bandage around his head to keep it in place. She then worked on his leg and shoulder, making sure the bandages were tight and secure before giving a nod, "I don't know how long it'll take until someone gets to you, but this should help keep you alive until then."

  
He gave her a wary smile before trying to get to his feet.

  
"What the fuck are you doing?" she yelped, standing and putting her hand on his uninjured shoulder, "you can't stand, let alone walk. Just stay here."

  
He shook his head, getting to his feet before stumbling a couple of steps, "I'll be alright, angel" he hissed, stumbling toward the camp. She glared at his back and started to go after him when he motioned toward a group to the right, "you should help the others."

  
She watched him for a moment before sighing, "guess people in this time are a lot tougher than in mine," she mumbled, picking up her bag and first aid kit before heading for the group. She patched a few of them up, only the few out of the whole group having lived, before glaring at them as they stood and supported one another toward the camp. She was starting to get agitated that they kept getting up when they had no business standing. She sighed and shook her head, knowing that agruing, at this point, was pointless. She moved across the battlefield, patching up the men that were injured as she did and feeling like she was in M*A*S*H. She had a new respect for the medical military men and women that worked during the wars.

  
Kojuro watched the woman moving back and forth across the battlefield, bandaging men before they would stand and hobble back toward the camp. She looked distressed every time they did that, but would shake her head and move on to the next man.

  
"Kojuro, didn't I tell you to watch that woman?" Masamune's voice brought his attention to his boss.

  
He nodded toward the battlefield, where she was helping lift a man into a seated postition to bandage his head, "I am."

  
Masamune stepped up beside him and set his hand on his sword hilts, "well, would you look at that," he mumbled, smiling at the woman as she scolded a man in purple for moving too soon, smacking him on the shoulder she had just bandaged.

  
"Chosokabe's words must have struck a cord with her," Kojuro said, smiling himself as she helped the man to his feet. She still looked upset that the men she was patching up weren't remaining on the field, but seemed to understand that they wouldn't.

  
"Maybe," Masamune said, watching her look through her bag before heading back toward the table of supplies. She stuffed a few things into her bag and went back out, ignoring the confused stares she got before helping another man. "I have a feeling there's more to this woman than just some prophecy."

  
"She did say she was from the year 2017," Kojuro looked at Masamune, "do you think she's telling the truth?"

  
Masamune shrugged and turned away, "who knows. If she is telling the truth, then we would be stupid to let her just walk away."

  
Kojuro nodded, turning his attention back to the woman as Masamune left.

  
The man in blue coughed, covering his mouth with his fist as she glanced up at him from the leg she was bandaging.

  
"You okay?" she asked, tying the bandage tight before moving up to kneel next to him. He started to sit up but she pushed him down and shook her head, "you shouldn't be moving with a cough like that. You might have a punctured lung. Moving will just make it worse."

  
"I'll be fine," he said, giving her a blood filled grin, "this is nothing."

  
She shook her head, remaining firm, "no. You're not. Just stay put until I can get someone over here," she said, glancing toward the tent she deemed the medical tent, "just stay put." She stood, rushing toward the tent at a sprint. _If I take too long, he'll just try to get up on his own_ , she thought as she burst through the flaps and ran into something, knocking her onto her butt.

  
Chosokabe blinked down at the woman, thinking how stupid she was for not paying attention to where she was going before his eye caught sight of the blood on her hands. A few of his men were claiming that an angel bandaged them up so they could make it to the tent for more help, but he didn't believe them, thinking that men near death saw things. Now, he figured it was this woman. She got to her feet and glared at him for a moment before sighing and shaking her head, "I don't have time," she mumbled before leaning around him, "hey! I need a couple guys out here to help me get this guy before he starts moving around!" she hollered, ignoring him as a couple of men followed her out the tent. He followed as well, wondering what she was doing.

  
Max growled her frustrations as she made it back to the man, now standing on is feet. She caught him, barely able to keep him up on her own, "damn it! I told you not to move," she snarled as the two who had followed her took each arm, "he has something wrong with his lungs so make sure he doesn't too much moving," she ordered as the men nodded and headed back to the tent with him. She let out a relieved huff and ran her hand through her hair as she lifted her bag onto her shoulder.

  
"So, you aren't as much of a bitch as I thought," Chosokabe's voice made her jump. She hadn't been expecting him to follow her.

  
She gave him a glare before moving onto the next man, this one was wearing black. At this point, she barely noticed the dead bodies laying around the area, "I'm a total bitch, it just depends on what it is I'm being a bitch about," she said, looking that man over.

  
"I wouldn't help him, if I was you," Chosokabe said, stepping up to the other side of the man.

  
Max closed her eyes, starting to get tired, "why not?" she asked, sounding as tired.

  
"He's one of Nobunaga's men," he growled, glaring down at the man.

  
"And?" she asked, starting to take out the first aid kit.

  
"He's an enemy," he said, like that would stop her.

  
"He's injured and needs help," she said, starting to clean the wound on his side. She heard the sound of a blade being drawn and blinked before glaring up at him. She stood, facing the pirate over the man between them, "you're the one who told me to help people," she growled, pointing at him accusingly.

  
"I didn't mean our enemies," he growled back, narrowing his bright blue eye at her.

  
"Enemy or not, he still needs help," she said, starting to kneel.

  
"Killing him here would save me killing him in combat later," he said, bringing the blade around.

  
She stood and stepped over the man, forcing Chosokabe to step back, "he was abandoned by his commander and left here to die with the rest of the men here. He needs help as badly as they do," she said, her voice starting to get loud as she got angrier.

  
"You would heal a man that hours ago was trying to kill you?" he asked, leaning over to glare at her, "what's to keep him from running back to his master as soon as you've healed him."

  
"Gratitude," she said back, making him blink, "you people need more men and if you help your enemy you make more allies. He was abandoned by his old boss, yes, but if you take pity on him and help him heal, he might join your side to get back at Nabu-whatever."

  
Chosokabe stared at her for a moment before clicking his tongue and looking away, "whatever, woman," he growled, pointing at her, "but he's your responsibility. If he runs back to Nobunaga and I meet him on the battlefield, I will kill you both."

  
She kept her glare, locking eyes with the man in purple until he turned around and left. She took a deep breath, turning and kneeling next to the man. "Please don't make me a liar," she whispered in prayer as she started to bandage him.

  
Kojuro let out a breath of relief when Chosokabe walked away. He was almost certain that she was about to die, but was surprised when Chosokabe left her in one piece. He had to admit, the woman did have guts...or a death wish. She surprised him when she stepped between Chosokabe and the man in black armor, putting herself on the line for one of their enemies. "Reckless woman," he sighed, rubbing the back of his head as he thought about his own boss. He sighed again and smiled, "how do I end up working with reckless people?"


	5. Lost...

 

With all the men bandaged and moved, she stood from the last man and stretched the knots out of her shoulders and neck. It was already past sunset and she was tired. She didn't realize how hard it was to bandage so many people, but the injured men, and some of the men helping move them seemed grateful. She took a deep breath, walking toward the table with the left over supplies and replaced what she had left onto it. A few of the men weren't happy about moving the men in black armor, but she assured them that she would be responsible for them. They had put up a different tent for them specifically, making her sigh at the stubborness of this time. The words "can't we all just get along" rang in her head, making her smile as she walked to the "enemy" tent. She stepped in, pausing in the entrance when her eyes fell on a few men wearing blue armor changing the bandages. She blinked, her eyes going to Kojuro, who was kneeling next to a cot on the other side of the tent.

  
"I thought you could use some help," Masamune's voice made her jump.

  
She looked at the man as he pulled a blanket over one of the injured before looking at her. She took a deep breath and shrugged, "I could have used more help out there than in here, but I appriciate it," she said, her eyes narrowing at the man as he stood and walked around her to bucket of water that was steaming, "I figured you would have been one of the ones that would want me to kill these guys."

  
He shrugged, pouring some of the hot water into a bowl, "I heard that you stood up to Chosokabe Motochika, The Ogre of the Western Sea, to keep these men alive and I respect that," he said, making her blink in surprise as he turned to look at her, "even if I think it's stupid to keep your enemy alive, I understand why you did it."

  
She glanced over the men in the beds, watching as a few of them slept before taking a deep breath and turning to look at him fully, "Kojuro said that you were the one that bandaged my shoulder," she said, getting a slight nod from the one-eyed man as she took another breath, "thank you. I know you didn't have to since you didn't know me at all so I really do appriciate it."

  
He gave her a smile and shrugged, "don't sweat it, girl," he said, taking the bowl and holding it out to her. She blinked before taking it, "these men would probably appriciate a woman's touch to my rough one."

  
She snorted, "you just don't want to get your hands wrinkly," she said, smiling as he gave a chuckle.

  
"Why get my hands wet and wrinkly when I could get them bloody later?" he asked, his expression taking on a darker, more sinister shade.

  
Her smile wilted slightly before she frowned, "you really know how to kill a mood, don't you," she grumbled, walking toward Kojuro with the bowl.

  
His expression wilted and disappeared as he watched her kneel next to Kojuro, getting a gentle smile from the man as she tended the one in the bed. She was a strange one, he had to admit. He couldn't help but wonder what kind of world she came from, or, better yet, how the world had become more than 400 years from this time. He actually chuckled at his own wonderings before leaving the tent. He stopped when his eye caught sight of Motonari, standing several feet from the entrance of the tent. The man gave him a strange smile as he approached, moving past Masamune and into the tent without a word. Masamune turned, half wanting to follow the man before decided that there was enough of his men in the tent to deal with Motonari that he didn't need to bother. He let a breath out through his nose before walking away. Still, there was something about that man that gave even him the creeps.

  
Kojuro helped carry the hot water from one man to the next as she cleaned the dirt from their faces and arms. It always made her feel better to be clean after a long day, and she figured that that was what the water was for anyway.

  
"You surprised me, today," Kojuro spoke after a while, making her glance at him before finishing up.

  
"How so?" she asked, standing and moving onto the next man.

  
"I wasn't expecting you to go onto the field to help the injured," he said, kneeling next to her with the bowl on his knee, "this isn't your fight."

  
She took a deep breath, dipping the rag into the water before wringing it out, "it's kind of become my fight, whether I want it to or not," she said, gently wiping the dirt from the man's face, "I can't just drop into this time, not do anything and expect to be left alone. Not when I'm, obviously, going to be drug into it anyway." She rewet the rag before starting on the man's arms, "Nagunaga wants me to help him, which got me shot. You guys want me to help you, which got me accused of being a spy. I want to go home, but I know that's not going to happen without help." She shrugged, "I could find a hole to hide in, but that won't solve anything. It'll only delay the inevitable," she chuckled and shook her head, "besides, I'm not very good at hiding."

  
He smiled at her, his smile quickly disappearing as Motonari stepped up on the other side of the bed. Kojuro stood, ready to face off against the warlord if he needed to.  
"Fallen Star, may I have a minute of your time?" Motonari asked, his voice sliding over her, sending chills down her spine.

  
"Sure," she said, forcing herself to sound normal as she stood and put the rag in the bowl Kojuro was holding, "what's up?"

  
"Privately, if you don't mind," he said, his eyes glaring at Kojuro.

  
Max narrowed her eyes at the man before folding her arms over her chest, "tell you what, creepster," she said, making Kojuro glance at her, "if you can tell me my name, then I'll step outside with you."

  
Motonari blinked at the offer, "what?"

  
She shrugged, "it shouldn't be too difficult. I did tell you my name when we first met, or do you not remember?" she asked, her voice a little angry.

  
He blinked at her a few times before his face became one of smug pleasantness, "you are the fallen star," he said, like that was her name.

  
She snorted before turning slightly, "I bet you're the only mother fucker in this entire camp that doesn't know my actual name," she said, sounding full of herself.  
Kojuro knew she was bluffing, but he just gave Motonari a smug smile, going along with the woman.

  
"Then what is your name?" Motonari asked, his voice becoming harder and vemonous.

  
She gave him a glare, "I'm not telling you," she said, her voice mocking, like a child's before Motonari glanced at Kojuro.

  
"Then what is her name, Right-eye?" he asked, making her look at Kojuro.

  
Her eyes begged him to remember while the rest of her looked confident. He shrugged, "if you don't know, why should I tell you?" he asked, making her relax slightly before she grinned at Motonari.

  
"Should have been paying attention, huh?" she asked, getting a glare from the warlord.

  
He turned and started toward the tent flap, only to stop at the foot of the bed of the man Max had fought Chosokabe about. He glanced at the man in the bed as he spoke, "how attached to these injured men are you, Fallen star?" he asked, making her shift slightly as her eyes focused on him. Kojuro stood still as well, his mind going to what the man would say or do next. Motonari raised his sleeve covered hand toward the man in the bed before the sound of a gun going off jerked the man to the side. A hole appeared in the center of his forehead as his head fell to the side, thick blood sliding down his forehead and into his wide open eye. She stood shocked for a moment before moving without thinking, grabbing one of the blades that were hanging from the poles in the middle of the room as she moved.

  
"What the fuck is wrong with you!?" she screamed, swinging it around only to stop as he brought his arm up to point at her.

  
"As I said, I would like a moment of your time, privately, Fallen Star," he said, his voice and eyes full of malace.

  
She stood there, the sword still mid-swing, and glared past the gun in his hand to him. She didn't even notice when the other warlords entered the tent with their weapons drawn, having heard the gun shot, as she stared down Motonari. She slowly lowered the sword and glared at him, her eyes burning from the tears. She was tired and angry and scared and it was starting to catch up with her as the sadness from helping someone hit her heart. "What the fuck kind of monster kills an injured man because he's pissed off at someone else?" she asked, her voice a hiss.

  
"A tactical maneuver, on my part," he said, making her face distort in disgust, "now, I will not repeat myself a third time, Fallen Star."

  
She shook her head as she glanced at the man in the bed, now dead, "I'm not going anywhere with you," she growled, her voice shaking slightly, mostly from the rage building up in her chest as she turned her emerald gaze toward him, "and if you think, for one fucking second that I'm going to help you win this war I've been dropped into, because you killed someone I've been taking care of, you've got another fucking thing coming," she growled, lifting the blade to point at him, "wouldn't help you if you were the last male type species on the fucking face of the planet."

  
He watched her for a moment, before he spoke, "that's unfortunate," he said, his voice monotone before another gunshot rang out, snapping her sideways as pain shot through her shoulder.

  
She stayed on her feet, her hand going to the wound before she gritted her teeth and rushed toward him with the blade she didn't know how to wield. She roared her rage and swung wildly, knowing that she wasn't swinging it right, but not caring at that moment. She wanted him to hurt. She wanted him to bleed. She wanted him to pay for killing the man she saved and helped. He easily dodged her attacks, making her angrier. After a few moments, she started to get tired and let the end of the sword drop to the ground. They had moved outside during the swinging and dodging, past the other warlords who were watching carefully. Her breathing was heavy as she glared at the green man through wet strands of hair. Motonari just smirked at her, looking like he had won something as she took a few shakey steps forward, stumbling slightly.

  
"Perhaps I could have one of my best men train you to fight with a sword," he said, his voice as smug as he looked, "then you might have a chance of hitting me."

  
Her mind was calming down, moving through the fog of rage to call on what little fighting training she had. Her best friend, Jesse, had convinced her to take a few fighting courses because, "the streets of Japan are dangerous for a woman on her own". Her grip tightened around the hilt of the sword as she stepped forward, swinging it up like a cricket bat. He stepped back, as she knew he would, and she quickly moved forward, shoving her injured shoulder into his chest as she brought her foot down on his, making him stumble and fall back onto the ground. She planted her foot in the center of his chest and put the tip of the sword to his neck, glaring down at him while gritting her teeth against the throbbing pain in her shoulder. He stared up at her, his eyes slightly widened from the surprise before they narrowed.

  
She felt the rage start to cool as she stepped away from him, "if you ever come near me again, it better be with chocolates and an apology, because I will not help you with anything otherwise."

  
He got to his feet, watching her for a few moments before giving her a small bow, "my apologies, Fallen Star," he said, only to have her cut him off.

  
"Go fuck yourself, plant man," she growled, nodding off toward the rest of the tents, "now put an egg in your shoe and beat it. Your fucking face makes me sick."

  
He gave another bow before turning and walking away, disappearing into the darkness between the tents. She heard a few people move up beside her but didn't turn to look as the sword slipped from her hand and fell to the ground. She gritted her teeth as her hand went to the wound on her shoulder.

  
"Are you okay?" she heard Kojuro ask as he gently touched her arm.

  
She jerked away from him, taking a step back into Yukimura, "I'm fine," she growled, shaking her head as she stepped away from him too. She took a deep breath, glancing at the blood seeping from between her fingers before turning and heading for the tent. "I need to check on the men," she mumbled, moving past Chosokabe and Masamune as she entered the tent. She walked a little ways into the tent, her eyes wandering toward the man's body still laying in the bed, making her stop and stare at him while tears started to blur her vision. She swallowed the pain she felt as the pain in her heart started to reach her brain. She had fought Chosokabe to keep this man alive, swearing to take responsibility for him and helping move him to this tent. She remembered him smiling at her and telling her thank you. They had talked a little while she had changed his bandages after getting him settled, giving her more insight into the war and the people of this period. She moved to kneel beside his bed, feeling her heart hurt as she swallowed again, shaking her head and closing her eyes to keep the tears at bay.

  
"He won't be the last man to die," Chosokabe's voice slowly opened her eyes, "this war is far from over."

  
She sniffled, her nose disobeying her will as she ran the back of her hand under it, "I know," she choked, before shaking her head, "I'm sorry, Toshi," she whispered, laying her hand on his cooling arm, "I'm sorry." After a few moments she took a deep, shakey breath and stood, wiping the snot from under her nose, "I want him buried somewhere near the forest, off the battle field," she said, her voice stronger despite the tears trickling down her cheeks.

  
"You want us to bury one of our enemies?" Chosokabe asked, his voice more...curious than disgusted.

  
She turned and glared at him, her eyes showing her resolve, "yes."

  
He watched her for a moment before smiling and shaking his head, "you're a strange woman," he said, putting his fist on his hip as he looked at her with his single right eye, "but you stand up for what you believe, and I respect that."

  
She looked back at Toshi's body, feeling herself grow cold at the memory as a couple of Masamune's men started to move the body. She stood stark still, staring at the empty bed, even as they moved his body out of the tent. She had never actually witnessed death before, not like this, anyway.

  
"You need that wound bandaged," Yukimura's voice brought her back from her thoughts.

  
She took a deep breath and sniffled, licking her lips as she wiped the tear trails from her face, "I wouldn't need so many bandages if people would stop shooting me," she mumbled, glaring at the wound in her shoulder.

  
"Maybe you shouldn't rush at people like a lunatic," Masamune said, getting a snort from her.

  
"Especially when you don't know your opponent's skill," Chosokabe said, grinning at her.

  
"Say the guys with one eye," she said, getting chuckles from the men with eyepatches as she sat on the bed while Yukimura got some bandages, "and I didn't rush him like a lunatic until AFTER he shot me, so you know."

  
"I hate to agree with Motonari, but he was right about you learning how to fight with a sword," Chosokabe said, taking a seat on the other bed across from her, "there's no way you're going to hurt anybody but yourself fighting like that."

  
She snorted, glaring at him as Yukimura moved between them to sit beside her. Her eyes turned to him, narrowing in suspicion as he prepared the bandages, "I could fight just fine...if I wanted to," she grumbled, watching Yukimura, "you sure you want to patch up a spy?"

  
Yukimura stop and blinked at her, his brown eyes confused, "you're injured," he said simply, like he hadn't been accusing her of being a spy at the beginning of the day.

  
She watched him for a moment before taking a deep breath, "fine," she said before lifting her shirt over her head. She winced as she rotated her injured shoulder and set the shirt over her lap, frowning down at the hole and blood on it, "I'm gunna need a new shirt," she mumbled, glancing up at Chosokabe and Masamune, who were looking away with pink tinted cheeks. She blinked, glancing at Yukimura, who looked bright red, before laughing, "you've gotta be fucking kidding me. You guys are seriously being embarrassed about me in just my bra?"

  
"But...you're...not..." Yukimura stumbled over his words before she rolled her eyes and took the bandage in his hand, making him blink in surprise before looking at her. He turned away again, his face even redder.

  
"If you don't have the balls to help me out with my bullet wound, because I took off my shirt, then I'll do it myself and you can take a walk," she growled, nodding toward the tent flap, "I'm even less happy about being shirtless than you are with seeing me shirtless."

  
Yukimura shook his head, "but you might harm yourself farther," he said, glancing at her only to look away.

  
She sighed, "then blue dragon can do it," she growled, bringing Masamune's eye toward her. She lifted her chin slightly, "you bandaged my wound before, right?"

  
"I didn't remove your clothing to do it," he said, his voice serious before his eye wandered from the wound to the rest of her, "although, maybe I should have." His eye sparkled with a dark glint of seduction as he grinned at her.

  
She frowned and folded her arms over her chest, now wishing that she was covered, "nevermind," she mumbled, glaring at him as he chuckled.

  
"I will do it!" Yukimura annouced, his voice loud.

  
Max winced from the loud expression and glare at him, "dude, chill," she growled, glancing at the men in the beds behind them.

  
He took the bandages from her hand and held them up, as if he were showing them to her, like she didn't know what they looked like, "I will bandage your wounds for you Fallen Star," he said, determination taking over his eyes.

  
She gave him a slow blink before rolling her eyes, "fine, but keep your voice down. The men in this tent are resting," she said as he slowly and as gently as possible, removed her old bandages. She winced and closed her eyes, gripping her pants as he had to tug some of the bandage from the new wound.

  
"I'm sorry, Fallen Star," Yukimura said, his voice softer then she was expecting. Of course, she wasn't expecting him to apologize either.

  
She let out a deep breath and looked at him, "my name's not Fallen Star," she grumbled, watching as he cleaned the wound.

  
"It's Max, right? Max Star," Masamune asked, bringing her eyes to him, surprised.

  
She nodded, "yeah," she said, looking back at what Yukimura was doing, "I'm honestly surprised someone remembered. I only said it once."

  
"Motonari's stuck on that prophecy thing," Chosokabe said, flopping his hand a few times as he leaned on his knee with his elbow, "he wouldn't have noticed if you walked in naked."

She narrowed her eyes at him before smiling and shaking her head, "I bet you would have, huh?"

  
He grinned at her, a dangerous expression on that face, "you bet I would have," he said, his deep voice going deeper and more...promising.

  
She watched him for a moment, narrowing her eyes as Masamune laughed.

  
"I think anyone with a brain would have noticed," Masamune said, still chuckling.

  
"So, Motorola doesn't have a brain," she stated, getting a laugh from Chosokabe, "that's reassuring."

  
Yukimura frowned at her comment, "as much as Motonari has upset you, he is a great tactician and should be respected for it," he said, finishing up with her wound.

  
She glared at him and leaned toward him slightly, pointing at the pillow behind him that still had blood on it, "he killed a man because he was pissed off at me," she growled, leaning back as she lifted her shirt from her lap, "I have no fucking respect for a man that's willing to take his anger out on others instead of the person he's actually angry at."

  
"That's honorable," Chosokabe said, watching as she lifted the shirt up and winced before sliding it over her head.

  
She shrugged her uninjured shoulder, "I guess. It just makes sense to me," she said, getting to her feet, "thanks for the help, but I better check on the men before heading to bed. They are my responsibility, after all," she gave Chosokabe a smirk before walking down the row of beds.

  
Chosokabe shook his head as he stood, watching the woman as she stood by each bed, gently lifting each man's wrist and checking something she had wrapped around her wrist.

  
"She is a strange one, isn't she?" he asked, getting a nod from Masamune.

  
"I still don't trust her," Yukimura said, folding his arms over his chest as he narrowed his eyes at the woman.

  
Masamune smiled at the other man, "she hasn't done anything to cause us trouble, so, why not leave her alone for now," he said, turning to leave, "besides, I told Kojuro to watch her and I trust him."

  
Chosokabe sighed, following Masamune out of the tent, "as long as she doesn't bring the wrath of Nobunaga down on us while we sleep, I'm fine with her wandering around."

  
Yukimura snorted, still upset about the woman's mere presence, "she wears strange clothes and fell from the sky," he said, glancing off toward the Mori camp, "do you think that Motonari is right? You think she really is this Fallen Star he keeps talking about?"

  
Masamune sighed, putting his hands behind his head as they walked, "who knows. Motonari could just be blowing smoke, for all we know."

  
Chosokabe nodded, "he probably has an alterior motive that involves the woman and wants to keep her alive for the moment," he said, stretching as he looked up at the moon, "but I don't think he's lieing about the prophecy."

Masamune yawned, letting his hands drop back down to his sides, "we'll find out soon enough."


	6. Song and Dance

 

She stood in the middle of the battlefield, her eyes moving over the blood soaked ground as the sun started to rise. The others had moved the bodies of the men who died off the battlefield, leaving a field that almost looked like nothing had happened. Almost. She couldn't sleep. Her wounded shoulder was on the side she usually lay on, but that wasn't the only thing that kept her awake. The demented, demonic glint in the eyes of Nobunaga kept finding their way into her dreams, instantly turning them into nightmares. She swallowed, looking down at the IPod attached to her belt along with the minispeaker as she adjusted them. She was starting to miss her old music group with their wild antics that made her laugh. Jesse with her long brown hair and angry threats, Mark with his taunts and caramel colored skin, and Chelsea with her quiet innocense and big violet eyes. She had gone on vacation to get away from a bad situation back in the states and they wouldn't let he go without them. "That's what family's for," Chelsea had said giving Max one of her encouraging smiles. She took a deep breath, thinking about the way she felt when she was dancing and singing. All she wanted to do right now was forget about everything. She lifted a couple of pills from the bottle and popped them in her mouth, swallowing the pain relievers without water. It dulled the throbbing in her shoulder but didn't make it go away. That was alright, she just needed it dulled enough to forget. She closed her eyes and pushed the play button, listening to the beginning of the song ( _ **Up - Shania Twain**_ ) tapping her foot along. She started dancing and singing the lyrics, moving to the beat and ignoring the sharp waves of pain as she moved her injured shoulder.

  
Sasuke sat in a tree, going over the pictures he had taken before the sound of music brought his attention to the woman dancing in the middle of the battle field. He blinked thinking that it was a weird place to dance, before hopping down and watching her with a smile. The dancing was slightly violent and like a dance you would do around a fire, stopping while she sang the chorus without the beat. He glanced down at the camera before lifting it and snapping pictures of her moving. He glanced at the pictures he had taken as she finished the song and dance, smiling at the almost peaceful expression on her face before moving out from the trees toward her.

  
She took a breath, lifting the IPod and scrolling through it before someone put their hand on her shoulder, making her jump and turn toward them. Sasuke grinned at her as she put her hand to her rapidly beating heart, "fuck man! Give me a heart attack, why don't you," she growled, narrowing her eyes at him, "what's up?"

  
"Do you dance in the middle of battlefields often?" he asked, his grin widening as her glare sharpened.

  
She clicked her tongue and folded her arms over her chest, "fuckin' peeper," she growled, making him chuckle as he held the camera out to her.

  
"It was useful, but I couldn't take any closer than where I was," he said, making her roll her eyes as she took the camera.

  
She stepped up to him, turning slightly to show him the zoom button, "this moves the lense in closer," she explained, getting a sigh from the ninja as she handed it back to him with an apologetic smile, "guess I should have showed you that before you left, huh?"

  
He snorted as he took it, replacing the strap around his neck, "that would have been nice to know, yes," he said, glancing at the fresh wound on her shoulder. He nodded toward it, "you break it open or something?"

  
She glanced at the wound like she just realized it was there before shaking her head, "nah, Moto whatever shot me," she said, sighing at the, now brown, tear in her shirt.

  
Sasuke blinked at her, his eyes widening slightly before he glanced back toward the camp, "what did you do?" he asked, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

  
She snorted, "I told that mother fucker that I wouldn't help him because he didn't know my actual name," she growled, her jaw clenching in anger.

  
He sighed and rubbed the back of his head, looking at her with unamused eyes, "you should be glad that's all he did. Motonari doesn't like being told no when he needs, or wants something," he said, watching as she scoffed and looked off toward the tree line.

  
She took a breath and swallowed, "you didn't happen to see a freshly dug grave on your way in, did you?" she asked, her hands dropping to her side as she looked at Sasuke with sad eyes.

  
He blinked before shaking his head, "I just came from that way," he pointed, "but no, I didn't see anything. Why?"

She took a deep breath and shrugged, "no reason," she said, looking down at the ground for a moment, obviously sad about something. She took another deep breath and looked up at him, the sadness gone from her face and she smiled, "thanks anyway, Sasuke." She started to walk back to where she was standing before stopping short and turning toward the treeline.

  
"You're not trying to run away, are you?" he asked, calling after her as she walked away.

"Nah! I just have to check on something," she said, waving at him as she disappeared around one of the tents.

  
He sighed and rubbed the back of his head, heading for Yukimura's tent to debrief him on the situation. He paused outside the tent, leaning slightly toward it while listening to Yukimura's soft snores. He smiled and shook his head, thinking how nice it would be to just relax for a while before having to report anything. "I guess I'll wait until he wakes up," he said, heading for the bon fire in the center of the camp.

  
Max walked along the trees for a few moments, searching for Toshi's grave that she was promised. Her eyes caught sight of a freshly dug up patch of earth that looked about body size, making her jog toward it until she came to the foot of it. She took a deep breath, swallowing the tears that started to well up while she licked her lips, staring at the grave. There was a large stone placed at the head of it, making her smile a sad smile that someone would think of it and she knew it was for her benefit, if nothing else.

  
"Did you know him?" as soft male voice turned her around to look at a man with long brown hair and feathers tied up in a high ponytail. A tiny monkey sat on his shoulder, looking at her with it's head tilted slightly.

  
She took a breath and shook her head, turning back to the grave, "not really," she said, feeling sad once again, "we talked a little while I was taking care of him but that was about it."

  
The man stepped up beside her, staring at the grave as well, "can you tell me what you do know about him?" he asked, his voice gentle as he glanced at her.

  
She took another deep breath and swallowed, "his name was Toshi Yakumato. Nobunaga took over his village by force and said that he was to serve him or he and his family would die. He chose to serve to protect them." She sighed, shaking her head at the thought, "he missed his family a lot and I told him how, in my time, we have these things called photographs. Basically instant paintings of moments in time. He said he wished he had one of those so he could see his family whenever he wanted," the tears started to well up in her eyes, blurring her vision slightly, "I promised him I would get him home to his family if it was the last thing I did. No matter what, I would get him home so he could see, and hold his wife and kids," she shook her head as the tears dropped from her eyes and she looked down, "I promised," she whispered as she took a deep, shakey breath and licked her lips, hugging herself before swallowing, "Motonari made me into a liar," she hissed, her head turning to look at the Mori part of the came with it's green tents, "he made me a fucking liar and Yukimura wants me to show him respect because he's a great tactician," she spat through her teeth, starting to get angry as she waved her hand out toward the largest tent, "if he's such a great fucking tactician, shouldn't he have known that killing someone I was taking care of and taking responsibility for would turn me against him? Shouldn't he have seen my rage and hatred of him coming, if he's so fucking great?" her voice was starting to get loud now, her anger spurring her on, "wouldn't he have seen how...furious I would be that he would turn his gun on an injured man that had no way of defending himself!? Some fucking tactician!" she looked down at the grave again, feeling herself so cold, "he made me a liar."

  
The man placed his hand gently on her shoulder, making her wince slightly before he pulled his hand away, looking apologetic before he spoke, "maybe he thought that the reason you weren't helping him was because of the injured man," he suggested, getting a snort from her.

  
"He pick the wrong fucking person to test that theory out on, if that's the case," she growled, kneel by the grave before placing her hand on the freshly turned up dirt, "I'll let his family know where he is, so they can at least visit him."

  
Chosokabe watched the woman from the shade of one of the tents as she knelt down, touching the fresh grave reverently. She had gotten angry about something, waving her arm around toward Motonari's tent. He couldn't help but grin at how enraged she was just talking about him. _You made one hell of an enemy, Motonari_ , he thought, glancing toward the tent himself before looking back at the woman as she stood. She wiped her face and gave the man next to her a smile before they started walking back toward the tents. Chosokabe shook his head and sighed, "for someone who didn't know that man very long, she sure cries a lot for him," he mumbled as he headed for the bon fire, where he hoped they were starting to make breakfast.

  
"My name's Keiji Maeda," he said, giving her a smile as his monkey jumped from his shoulder onto her head, making her blink at the thing as it leaned over her forehead to look at her. He chuckled, "I think Yumekichi likes you."

  
Max sighed and rolled her eyes, "that makes one creature here," she mumbled, as the monkey jumped down to her shoulder, tilting it's head at the tears in her shirt before looking at Keiji and squawking.

  
"What happened?" he asked, as if understanding what the monkey was saying.

  
She sighed and nodded toward the Mori camp area, "ask the plant man," she growled as Yumekichi jumped back onto Keiji and climbed up to his shoulder.

  
"Plant man?" Keiji asked, tilting his head as he blinked at her.

  
She shrugged, wincing at the sharp stab of pain before putting her hand to her wound, "Motonari looks like a plant, so, he's the plant man."

  
Keiji laughed, slapping her on the back so hard she stumbled forward a little, "good one," he said, grinning at her. "So, I heard that you're the Fallen star," he said, getting a glare from the woman. He held his hands up, as if to ward off an attack, "I just heard it, that's all."

  
She snorted, letting her hands drop to her sides, "my name is Maxine Star, but people call me Max because it's shorter and easier to remember," she said, taking a deep breath and smelling something delicious. Her stomach growled, bringing them both to a stop as she blinked down at it. She realized then that she hadn't eaten anything since the morning before she was ripped through time. She gave Keiji an embarrassed smile before rubbing the back of her head, "guess I'm a little hungry."

  
He chuckled, "a little? I bet you scared off all the wildlife with a stomach growl like that," he said, laughing as she playfully punched his arm.

  
"Shut up, you!" she growled, as he started to jog off.

  
"Race you to the fire!" he called over his shoulder, making her laugh.

  
"You're on!" she called back, her feet digging into the ground as she took off, sprinting past him before turning around to jog backwards, "slow poke!"

  
"Wha... Hey no fair!" he hollered, picking up his pace as she turned back to running only to hit someone hard with a loud OOF!

  
Her and the man she ran into tumbled over one another, ending up in a pile of tangled limbs and dizzy heads a few feet away from the collision. She groaned and slowly lifted her head, putting her hand to her temple as the man under her growled.

  
"It's too early to be running into people, don't you think?" he groaned, lifting himself, and her, off the ground.

  
She yelped in surprise, clinging to his neck as he knelt, glaring over his shoulder at her with one brilliant blue eye. She gave Chosokabe an apologetic smile before getting to her feet and stepping away from him as he stood to his full height. "Sorry, Cho," she said, shooting at glare toward Keiji as he ducked behind a tent, "son of a..."

  
"My name isn't Cho," he growled, leaning over her with an angry eye, "it's Chosokabe Motochika."

  
She gave him a slow blink before narrowing her eyes at him, "be glad I apologized, Cho," she said, saying 'cho' on purpose as they glared at one another.

  
He snorted, leaning back as he crossed his arms over his chest, "don't you have enemies to bandage?"

  
She shrugged, folding her arms over her chest, "don't you have a village to pillage?" she asked, getting another glare from the man.

  
He smirked before chuckling and shaking his head, making her blink at him in confusion, "it must be a strange time you come from, Max, to be trying to stare down and insult a pirate," he said, his blue eye sparkling at her as he nodded toward a pillar of smoke, "let get some food in ya."

  
She gave him a smile as she fell in step beside him, "actually, I'm kind of a weirdo in my time. Most people would cower from just one look from the weakest guy here," she admitted, making him glance at her.

  
"Is that so?" he asked, turning his head to look at her more, "why is that?"

  
She gave a heavy sigh and shook her head, "most people where I'm from don't know how hard life can be. They almost cower from it and yet have an opinion about everything."

  
Chosokabe snorted, "if they don't know anything about it, then they shouldn't have an opinion about it," he growled, folding his arms over his chest as they walked around the tents. It wasn't really a huge bon fire, but it was spread out where men were cooking this or that while others lined up to get their share.

  
Max nodded, "I totally agree," she said, following Chosokabe's lead as he stepped to the front of the line. He got her a bowl of some sort of porrage before getting himself one and leading her to an area where Masamune, Sasuke, Kojuro and the still yawning Yukimura were sitting. She gave them a smile, "morning y'all," she said, taking a seat on one on the log that Kojuro offered. She turned to him, "how are the guys doing?"

  
He gave her a small smile, "much better than they would have been if is wasn't for you," he said.

  
She gave a small sigh of relief, not realizing that she was worried about men she didn't even really know, "thank god," she muttered, narrowing her eyes at the porrage.

  
"Max here was just telling me about her time," Chosokabe said, bringing everyone's attention to her, "apparently, nobody there knows how to live and have an opinion about it."

  
She rolled her eyes, "that's not exactly what I said," she said, shaking her head, "I'm actually from a country called America. We're a very stubborn, opinionated country but, recently, we've been ripping one another apart because of different beliefs and opinions."

  
"Sounds rough," Sasuke said, making her shrug.

  
"Sort of," she said, lifting the spoon from her bowl and staring at it, "the biggest issue we're facing is whether or not it's okay to own weapons, mainly guns. Most people think stronger gun control laws will solve the problem with the violence, but fail to realize that criminals don't care about laws. Mean while, we're about to face all out war with Korean, again, and nobody's really concerned about that," she took a deep breath and shook her head, "most people my age don't look at facts before voicing their opinions about something and, what's worse, is they will fight to the death to defend that opinion."

  
"What's wrong with that?" Yukimura asked, suddenly wide awake.

  
She looked at him, "nothing's wrong with it, but if you have an opinion about something and don't really have any facts to help you convince others, it makes you sound stupid when someone else brings in their facts on their opinion."

  
"That's smart," Kojuro said, getting a nod from the others.

  
Max shook her head, "not really. Most people that have facts pick and choose which facts they want that help support them instead of looking at ALL the facts before voicing their opinion."

  
"That would cause a lot of infighting," Masamune said, taking a large bite of his porrage.

  
"Exactly," she said, sighing down at her porrage, "America use to be THE top military superpower in the WORLD and now," she shook her head sadly, "we're tearing each other apart instead of working together to better our country," she lifted her head and motioned to them, "like you guys. You're from different parts of Japan, but you decided that Nobunaga needed to be gone before continuing to fight one another for power. I really respect that." They glanced at one another before smiling and looking at her as she took a bite of the porrage. She grimaced, shaking her head as they laughed, "what I would give for a nice stack of pancakes right now," she mumbled, forcing herself to eat the porrage.

  
"If you don't like it, don't eat it," Yukimura laughed as he got to his feet.

  
She rolled her eyes, "sure, I'll just starve to death in the process," she said, glaring at him as he stepped in line for breakfast, "seriously though, if I knew this was what was for breakfast, I would have offered to make something," she said, lifting the spoon and letting the porrage drip back into the bowl.

  
"You can cook?" Chosokabe asked, looking a little surprised.

  
"Of course she can cook, she's a woman," Sasuke chimed in, grinning as Max glared at him.

  
"Not for you, I don't," she growled, tossing a spoonful of porrage at Sasuke.

  
He dodged it, moving to his feet so fast she would have missed it if she blinked, as he chuckled, "don't waste food, Fallen Star," he chided mockingly, wagging his finger at her.

  
She snorted, "I'll show you waste food, fucking Naruto reject," she mumbled, shooting the laughing ninja a glare.

  
The others laughed along, as Sasuke stuck his tongue out at her. She returned the gesture making Kojuro sigh and stratch his forehead, "why do I have to sit between the children?" he mumbled, making Max grin at him.

  
"Because we wub boo uncle Kojo," she said, leaning against him as she spoke in a small voice like a child.

  
Kojuro gave her a glare as the others laughed, he even cracked a smile, despite the glare as Max sat back up and tried to choke down the porrage.

  
"Why don't you sing for us, Max," Sasuke said, making her choke and cough on her bite of porrage.

  
Kojuro smacked her on the back a few times as Yukimura sat down next to her, blinking at her in confusion. She glared at Sasuke before shaking her head and turning her eyes back to the porrage in her lap, "I don't know what you're talking about," she said, looking up at him like he was an idiot as she took another bite of her food.

  
He smiled, "come on! You have such a beautiful voice," he said, making a dramatic gesture toward the sky, "like that of an angel's."

  
She snorted, "why don't you sing? You've got the lyrics right there," she said, glaring at him as he grinned at her.

  
"My men have been calling you an angel," Chosokabe said, getting a surprised blink from the woman, "maybe you can sing like one too."

  
Her eyes narrowed into a glare as she looked at him, only to get a smug grin from the man in purple. She quickly turned her eyes down to the porrage, griding her teeth as she gripped the bowl.

  
"I'm sure the men would find it uplifting," Kojuro said from beside her, his voice gentle.

  
She let out a long breath of air through her nose before looking at him with narrow eyes. He gave her a gentle smile as Masamune leaned forward to look at her, his own gentle smile in place.

  
"I know I wouldn't mind hearing what music from 400 years from now sounds like," he said, his voice smoothe as silk.

  
She looked back down at the porrage as something dropping onto her head, made her blink. A small monkey head poked down from atop her head, making her blink a few times as it gave her an excited smile, as if to say please. She sighed and shook her head, making the monkey hop onto her shoulder as Keiji sat down on the ground on the other side of Yukimura. He just smiled at her as Yumekichi hopped down and scurried back to his master. She glanced at Yukimura, chewing on the inside of her cheek before turning more toward him, "alright, but only if Yukimura wants me to," she said, almost smug about saying that.

  
"I'd like that," he said, making her blink in confusion as he smiled at her, "it might help light the fire in our hearts for when we face Nobunaga again."

  
She groaned and gave him a glare, "you couldn't have said, 'I don't trust the music of a spy'?" she growled, getting to her feet and shoving the bowl into Yukimura's chest.

  
"Why would I say that?" he asked, genuinely confused as the others grinned, knowing what she was trying to do when she asked Yukimura.

  
She shook her head, "nevermind," she growled, rubbing the back of her head, "here's the thing. I've never really performed in front of a small audience before. It's always been huge crowds or a bar full of people that weren't really paying attention."

  
"Just sing from the heart," Masamune offered, setting his empty bowl on the ground, "you need music? I could call Mokojo over and have him play his lute."

  
She shook her head, patting the IPod and speaker on her belt, "I got my own," she said, getting confused blinks from the men. She sighed, lifting the IPod and showing them, "this is an IPod. It's got hundreds of songs on it in the form of data files. It's kind of like having hundreds of singers and bards without actually having the people with you," she tried to explain, glad that they sort of understood before scrolling through the music. She motioned to the minispeaker on her belt, "this is a speaker. It's inhances the music so that others can hear it," she paused her scrolling and glanced at them, staring at her with wide, curious eyes. She cleared her throat, "do you guys have any spacific requests?"  
Sasuke spoke up, "how about one like the one you were singing and dancing to in the field?" he asked, getting a glare from her.

  
"You dance too?" Yukimura asked, looking a little surprised.

  
She glared at him, "yes, what of it?"

  
"I want to hear and see one like that too," Masamune said with a dark glint in his eye.

  
She swallowed as Kojuro and Chosokabe nodded in agreement, making her sigh, "guess I'm out voted," she muttered before picking one, "fine, but don't be surprised if I mess up."

  
She took a deep breath, listening to the music ( _ **Better when I'm dancin' - Megan Trainer**_ ) before starting to sing, letting herself think that she was somewhere else as she started dancing to the music as well. She started getting into it, smiling as she spun and moved her body to the music. She actually gave a laugh as a few men that were passing by actually joined in, dancing some crazy dances along with her. The music ended and everyone cheered, asking her to sing another as another song came up. She blinked and waved at them as they glanced down at the speaker in confusion, "it's on shuffle so it'll go to the next song automatically," she explained, getting a few grins and laughs as the men started dancing to the new song, ignoring the fact that they had no idea where the music was really coming from. She turned, giving Sasuke a glare before marching to stand in front of the ninja, "come on, Sasuke," she said, grabbing his arm and pulling him toward the group.

  
"I don't dance," he said, shaking his head even though he was grinning and letting her drag him from his seat.

  
"This was your idea, jerk," she growled, giving him a shove into the crowd, "now dance."

  
Yukimura laughed as he got to his feet and started dancing along with Keiji. She stepped away from the crowd and smiled at the scene, watching as more men joined, all from different groups. Different colored armor and clothing blending together in a weird rainbow of color. This was why she started singing. The joy that people felt when they forgot about the world and just enjoyed themselves.

  
Masamune watched his men dancing around the fire, acting like crazy idiots while the music played from the woman's hip. No one cared that the music was strange or that they didn't know any of the lyrics, all they cared about was having fun. He sighed and got to his feet, getting a confused look from Kojuro and Chosokabe. "I'm not about to let them have all the fun," he said, grinning at his right hand man as he nodded toward the group, "whadda ya say, Uncle Kojo?" he said, grinning at the snort he got from the other man.  
Kojuro glared up at him before standing, "like I have a choice?"

  
He slapped Kojuro on the back before looking at Chosokabe, or, where Chosokabe was. He blinked, looking up as Max lead the Ogre of the Western Sea into the crowd. Chosokabe was just smiling, letting her lead him without a struggle. Masamune smirked, "guess he beat us to it," he said, laughing as they entered the group as well.

  
She laughed and shook her head as Chosokabe danced, but not saying anything as he gave her a glare.

  
"Let's see you do better," he gruff voice sounding skeptical.

  
She gave him a smug smile before waiting for the down beat. Instantly, her body moved to the beat and words ( _ **One more night - Maroon 5**_ ), expertly dancing to the beat. She smiled, singing along to the words and dancing while the men moved back, watching her dance to this strange music with strange moves, like she was fighting. She was in her own world, not paying attention to the room she now had, smiling as she finished the song and gave Chosokabe a grin. "Like that?" she asked, making him snort and fold his arms over his chest.

  
"Show off," he growled, giving her a smile as the music ended.

  
"Dance again," one of the men shouted from a log he was standing on to watch.

  
She blinked as the others chimed in, starting to chant for her to dance for them before she sighed, glaring at Chosokabe, "see what you did," she hollered over the loud voices.

  
He grinned and shook his head, "I didn't do anything, little siren," his deep voice growled over the sound of the crowd.

  
She put up her hand, "Alright, alright!" she hollered, making everyone cheer, "but no comments if it's awful!"

  
She took a deep breath, preparing herself for the song ( _ **Fall back - Cimorelli**_ ) before starting to sing. She just swayed slightly to the beginning, dancing more when she hit the first chorus. She finished the song, laughing as the men around her cheered, calling for her to sing another. She took several breaths, trying to relearn how to breathe as she waved them off, "sorry, guys," she said, shaking her head, "I'm done."

  
They groaned and whined as they seperated, making her smile as she fell to the ground where she was, closing her eyes against the warmth of the midmorning sun. She wrinkled her eyes as a shadow stood over her, making her open one to look up at Masamune as he leaned over her with a smile.

  
"Tired already? The day hasn't even started yet," he said, offering his hand.

  
She sighed and took it, pulling herself to her feet and she took a deep breath, "I haven't done that in a while," she said, lifting the IPod to check the battery. She sighed again and shook her head, "unfortunately, once the battery's gone, there won't be anymore music, unless you guys figure out how to harness electricity."

  
"I may know a thing or two about it," Masamune said, glancing toward the tents as Motonari came into view.

  
Max frowned at the man and shook her head, "I don't want a fucking thing to do with the weed," she growled, making Masamune chuckle.

  
"You really hate him, don't you?" he asked, his dark blue eye watching her as she clicked her tongue.

  
"Hate would be putting it nicely," she growled, narrowing her eyes as the man approached. She folded her arms over her chest as the others step up behind her.

  
Keiji's smile wilted slightly as he looked at Max's expression, glancing at Motonari before disappearing completely. Max had told him why she hated Motonari, and, honestly, after what happened when he tried to bring him into the fight, Keiji couldn't blame her.

  
Motonari stopped several feet in front of her, his narrow eyes watching her for a moment before he took a breath and bowed, "I apologize for what I did," he said, making her eyes narrow more, "I understand that it upset you and I regret that. I hope that from here on out we can be allies in the fight against the demon king."

  
She ground her teeth before dropping her hands into fists, "upset? UPSET?!?" she snarled, taking a step toward him, "I passed fucking UPSET when you decided to use an injured man to try to make me do what you wanted! I passed angry when you shot him! I passed furious when you threatened me with the gun and I passed fucking enraged when you SHOT ME!" she spat at him, making him blink at her, his expression guarded, "don't fucking call it UPSET, because I am far, FAR passed upset," she growled, poking him in the chest before taking a step back, folding her arms over her chest, "so, tell me, motorola. What fucking thing do you have up your sleeve that you think would put me more on your side, because right now," she took another step back, glancing back at the other warlords as they stood behind her. She looked back at Motonari with a smirk, "I would side with Nobunaga before I would side with you spacifically." She motioned to the men behind her, "lucky for you, I like these guys more than I hate you...and I really, really, REALLY hate you." He watched her with a cool expression, which only made her blood run cold. What kind of man just stood there while she spat curses and rage at him? He gave her another bow before standing and turning on his heels to leave. She swallowed, narrowing her eyes at the direction he walked before shaking her head, "I think you guys are going to have to keep an eye out for snakes," she said, glancing at Keiji as he started looking around the ground, worriedly.

  
"Snake?" he asked, making her blink at him a few times before sighing and shaking her head.

  
"Not real... what the hell..." she groaned and rolled her eyes, "forget it."

  
Yukimura stepped up in front of her, his brown eyes dark and angry, "would you really side with Nobunaga?" he asked, making her slowly let out a breath.

  
She smiled and shook her head, "that mother fucker is probably the reason I'm here, so, if I had a choice, probably not."

  
"Probably? Then there's a chance you would?" Kojuro asked, his deep voice making her sigh as she looked at him.

  
"Et tu, Kojuro?" she whined before giving him an eye roll, "do I seriously need to flat out say that I would not side with Nobunaga? Because, if I do, then maybe I don't like you guys as much as I thought I did." They all watched her, Chosokabe and Masamune more amused by the scene than the others. She took a deep breath and looked at Yukimura, "the truth of the matter is, I want to go home, back to my time. If you guys can help me get there, then fine, I'm with you one hundred and ten percent, but if Nobunaga is the one that can send me home, then I will have to side with him. It's my fucking reality," she growled, putting up her hand as Yukimura started to speak, "however, since I have half a feeling that, even if he WAS the one who could send me home, he wouldn't because for whatever reason, he either wants me on his side or dead. Guess which one I would be?"  
Yukimura watched her for a moment, frowning slightly before Sasuke slapped his hand onto Yukimura's shoulder, turning the man's attention to him.

  
"Stop being so suspicious, Yukimura," he said, giving the man a grin.

  
"I think what Max is trying to say is that she wouldn't side with him even if he could send her home," Kojuro said, looking at her as if telling her to go along with what he was saying, even though it sort of wasn't, "right Max?"

  
She took a deep breath and nodded, "yeah," she said, looking at Yukimura, "I understand the suspicion, but I'm here. I have a group of people to take care of and I'm not going anywhere without one of you guys, willingly."

  
Yukimura seemed to relax at the reassurance before nodding and looking at her, "alright," he took a deep breath and turned, bowing deeply toward her, making her back up in surprise, "I'm deeply sorry for being so suspicious of you, Fallen Star. It will not happen again."

  
She chuckled, "sure it will," she said, shrugging. She winced, having forgotten about the wound in her shoulder, "it'll just take you being jealous, assuming we started dating," she hummed, bringing him up into a standing position.

  
"Dating?" he asked, tilting his head to the side, "what's that?"

  
She blinked, trying to think of the closest word they had for it in this time period, "um... courting?" she said hesitantly, instantly getting a laugh from Masamune and a grin from Chosokabe. Keiji smiled, slapping Yukimura on the back as the man stared at her, stunned.

  
"Congratulations!" Keiji said, grinning at the shocked Yukimura, "love conquers all, I say."

  
Max blinked, suddenly worried before shaking her head, "but that would never happen because you're like an annoying cousin that I never talk to or hang out with because he's annoying," she said, hoping that would clear up whatever idea Keiji had about her and Yukimura.

  
Yukimura snorted, finally pulled back to reality before he folded his arms over his chest, "I wouldn't court you," he growled, narrowing his eyes at her as he looked her from bottom to top, "you don't look like you wouldn't give very strong sons, if you gave sons at all."

  
She narrowed her eyes at him, leaning forward slightly, "if I married you, I would give you daughters just to spite you," she said, getting laughs and chuckles from the others.  
"I can totally see her doing that," Sasuke said, grinning at her as she rolled her eyes.

  
"I don't know," Chosokabe said, stepping around them to stand inspecting Max with his single bright blue eye, like she was on display in a clothing store, "with the right man, she might give powerful sons."

  
Max blinked as Masamune seemed to think about that while looking her over as well, "maybe. They would be fearless, at least," he hummed, stepping up to the other side of her.

  
She quickly moved out from between the two predators and stood slightly behind Yukimura, trying to use him as a buffer, "not even in your fucking dreams, boys," she snapped, glaring between the two.

  
They gave her, almost identical smirks before chuckling that male chuckle that most men understood. Kojuro sighed and shook his head, giving Max an apologetic smile, "I apologize on behalf of Lord Masamune, he doesn't think before he speaks," he said, getting a tongue click from said man.

  
"It was a compliment," he grumbled, looking at Max with an amused smile, "for the most part."

  
Max snorted, "again, not even in your dreams," she hissed, getting another chuckle from the two men.


	7. Getting a Body Guard

 

They parted after that, heading in different directions to check on their men or weapons and armor. Max stepped through the tent, smiling at the men as a few of them sat up in their beds.

"How are my boys?" she asked, getting smiles and a few mumbles from the men as she moved across the tent. She checked each man's bandages, making sure they weren't bleeding through before moving onto the next man, "you guys are lucky," she sighed, removing one man's bandages to check his wounds and clean them.

"Why? Because you and your men didn't execute us?" a man in a bed across the walkway growled, sounding spiteful.

She blinked, giving him an even stare before turning more to face him, "first, I don't have men. I'm from a literal different time period all together. Second, that wasn't what I was going to say and third, if you don't like it, the exit's right there," she pointed at the tent flap, "don't let the flap smack you on the way out," she growled, going back to cleaning the wounds of the man sitting in front of her.

"Hojikoto," the man in the bed next to him leaned over, getting his attention, "she's helped us when no one else would."

"Yeah," a man in the bed a little farther down chimed in, "you could show a little more gratitude, Hojikoto."

Hojikoto snorted, his dark eyes moving to glare at her, "all she's done is bandage us," he growled, folding his arms over his bandaged chest, "any mid-wife could have done that."

She took a deep breath, finishing up with cleaning the man's wounds before glancing at Hojikoto, "it must be nice to have such devotion to a man that left you on the field of battle to bleed out and die," she mumbled loud enough for him to hear, "I could have just left you there like he did, but," she looked at him fully then, "I'm sorry that I have a heart," she cut a piece of gauze and placed it gently over the man's wounds before staring to wrap them again.

"You don't understand. You said your aren't from here," he growled, sitting up more to glare harder at her.

She huffed and finished tying the bandage before slamming the scissors into her first aid kit, "no, I don't understand," she got to her feet and glared across the tent at him, "I don't understand how you can be so loyal to a man that would kill your families and burn down your villages without a second thought. I don't understand how you could lay there, in a sick bed, basically, and defend a man that is so vile, he's called the Demon King," she moved across the room to stand in front of him, "and, what's worse, is I don't understand how you could just lay there, critisizing ME after marching under that...monster's orders without question," she paused before pointing her thumb at herself, "I am NOT your enemy and you best be fucking glad of that, because the things I would do to you would make even the demon king flinch." They glared at one another before Hojikoto lowered his eyes, his jaw stiff as he swallowed. She took a deep, calming breath before licking her lips, looking back toward the first aid kit, "now, do you need new bandages or not?"

  
He looked up at her, shocked that after all that she would still offer to change his bandages. He swallowed and looked down at his lap, feeling embarrassed and foolish as he spoke up, "yes."

She let out a breath and nodded, going back to pick up the first aid kit before sitting on the edge of his bed, "just because you don't like me, doesn't mean I'm not going to help you," she said, giving him a slight nod, "now hold still or the scissors might slip and give you another cut."

He did as he was told, staying perfectly still while she changed his bandages and cleaned his wounds. He watched her as she concentrated, ignoring him as he stared at her while she worked. When she was finished, he swallowed what little of his pride he had and put his hand on her arm, stopping her from moving, "I'm sorry," he said, sounding like it hurt to say that, "I didn't mean to offend you after you took care of us."

She took a breath and stood, looking at him with gentle emerald eyes, "it's alright Hoji. I know that this time period is stressful for everyone, not just me. So, I forgive you, but if you act up again, I might let Chosokabe take you out and kill you like he wanted to," she said with a shrug as she picked up the first aid kit and moved on to the next man.

"Are you accociated with the Ogre of the Western Sea?" the next man asked, looking up at her with a single golden eye. The man didn't look much older than twenty, if even that.

She sighed and shook her head, "it's complicated," she said, gently taking the bandage off his head and left eye. She frowned at the damaged eye before giving a laugh as his right eye widened in fear, "at least you get one of those cool eye patches. That'll get you so many girls," she said, making the boy's cheek turn red as she grinned at him. "Don't worry, kid. You'll be alright. Your eye was the worst of the damage done to your body." She gave him a reassuring smile as her mind started to roll with the punches while she cleaned and rebandaged his eye, "get a really big purple eye patch and you'll almost look like Chosokabe," she joked, getting a few uncomfortable shifts from the men behind her, "you know how many girls that guys gets?" she asked, getting a wide eye from the boy as he shook his head, his eye looking at something behind her, "I don't know for sure, but I bet it's a LOT."

"Close enough," she heard Chosokabe's gruff, deep voice from the bed behind her, making her jump.

"Fuck!" she yelped, dropping the scissors on the ground as she put her hand to her chest, "God, between you and Sasuke, I'm going to die of a heart attack before Nobunaga gets me." Chosokabe gave her a mischivious smile before leaning over and picking up the scissors from the ground. He held them out to her, smiling as she took them, their fingers brushing. She narrowed her eyes at the pirate before turning back to the boy, who was now staring at Chosokabe with fearful eyes, "what cha want, Cho?" she asked, getting a glare from the man as the men in the tent shifted.

"I already told you," he growled, his eye widening as she absently waved his comment away.

"It's too long and I have too much to do to waste my energy on your whole name," she said, giving him a smirk, "and my name's three letters, so you can't say anything."

He sighed before shaking his head at her, "I don't understand you, woman."

She shrugged, "I'm American. We like to shorten things," she explained, motioning toward a bottle with clear liquid sitting on the table while she held a scrap of gauze in place, "hand me that bottle, would you?"

He handed it to her without being asked twice, watching as she gently moved the gauze down, holding it under the boy's injured eye while she poured the water over and into the eye socket. She didn't even flinch as puss, blood and mucus drained out of the eye and onto the cloth type thing she had in her hand. He let out a inaudible sigh, wishing that he had her to tend his wounds when he lost his eye. He winced at the memory of it before coming back to the present.

"So, besides scaring the crap out of me and my boys, why are you here?" she asked, not looking at him as she focused on bandaging the boy's eye.

He blinked, giving her a half smirk, "your boys, huh?" he repeated, grinning at her as she glanced at him long enough to give him a glare.

"Yes, my boys. I'm the one taking care of them, "she said, pausing and looking at him with amused emerald eyes, "someone said I was responsible for them, so, they're my men, now," she sang, having the boy hold the gauze in place while she wrapped a bandage around his head to hold it there.

He smirked, leaning back slightly with his arms folded over his chest as he watched her check the bandage to make sure they were tight but not so tight it hurt, "I just came to check on you, that's all."

She paused as she started to lift her first aid kit, narrowing her eyes at him as she brushed her auburn hair out of her eyes, "uh huh..." she hummed, obviously not believeing him. She blinked for a moment before standing, putting one hand on her hip as she leaned toward him slightly with the kit hanging from her other hand, "this wouldn't have anything to do with the 'baring sons' thing, would it?"

He chuckled, shaking his head as she stood straight and went to another bed, checking the man's bandages over before giving him a gentle pat on the shoulder. She asked if he needed anything before moving onto the next bed. Chosokabe stood, having a hard time keeping the grin from his face as he followed her. He tilted his head to the side, his eye scanning over her body as she bent to help a man sit up. He felt himself smile at the sight, before licking his lips and swallowing. _She does look good_ , he thought as she took a seat on the edge of the bed. Her auburn hair flaired out down her back, even with it being uneven, after being cut during the battle, it still suited her. Firey like her attitude. He sat on the bed beside her and leaned forward, taking a few strands of the longer hair between his fingers and holding it to his nose. He inhaled, closing his eye as he did before opening it and looking at her with a grin, "you do smell nice, for a Fallen Star," he growled, watching her eyes widen slightly before they narrowed.

She put her hand against his bare chest, ignoring the feel of his strong, chiseled muscles under her fingers, before giving him a slight push, "what are you, a fucking dog?" she asked, her voice higher than she wanted it to be, but him smelling her hair like he did made her realize just how close and...male he was. _When was the last time I got laid_ , her mind thought before she wiped it from her head.

His grin widened as he took her hand in his own, giving her a quick pull that brought her against his chest as he put his arm around her shoulders. He put his mouth close to her ear, even as she tried to get away from him, "I'm not a dog, I'm an Ogre," he purred into her ear.

She had to restrain her shudder and hormones, wanting nothing more than to jump his bones right then and there, but the movement of the, now really uncomfortable, man in the bed, kept her grounded. She leaned back and glared up at Chosokabe, his bright blue eye sparkling down at her with amusement. "Ogre, or not," she started, glad her voice was normal, as opposed to her hormones, "warlord, or not, you still haven't told me why you're here," she growled, leaning back as he slowly released her, letting his hand slid around her back and shoulder, down her arm to rest gently on her forearm. Damn, she mentally sighed, fighting the urge to moan at his touch.

His eye sparkled at her, as if he didn't need to hear her to know what he was doing to her, "the War God, Uesugi Kenshin and the Tiger of Kai, Takeda Shingen are coming to the camp," he said, his expression turning to one of seriousness.

She sighed, leaning back slightly as she watched him with calculating eyes, "you don't like these men?" she asked, getting a surprised eye in response.

"On the contrary, I have nothing but respect for them," he said, looking down toward her stomach, but his eye was unfocused, "both Kenshin and Shingen have suffered grave injuries from their battles with Nobunaga's men. They may not even be up for the journey, let alone the final battle against Oda."

She blinked at him, her expression emotionless as she watched him, "what do you want me to do about it?" she asked, watching as he looked up at her before nodding toward the boy she had helped.

"You've kept these men alive and protected them, even though you didn't know them," he said, making Hojikoto shrink down slightly in his bed as he turned his gaze to her, "I didn't expect you to be very good at bandaging and taking care of the wounded," he gave her a small bow from the neck, leaning forward slightly as well, "you have my respect, Max, and I would be stupid not to ask you to help care for the two arriving warlords, when they get here."

She watched him for a moment as he sat back up, watching her with a small smile, "do they know about me taking care of them?" she asked, tilting her head to the side as she went over the supplies she had left in the first aid kit. She knew she had more than enough, but didn't want to spend any extra time helping people that didn't want to be helped.

He gave a nod, "we sent word to them that they are to be examined when they get here and have periodic checks while here until they are fully healed," he said, looking at her as she stared at the box by his feet before giving a sigh and shrugging, "if you don't want to do it, I'm sure I could get one of my men to do it."

She looked at him then, her emerald gaze sharp, making him smile, "I didn't say I wouldn't," she growled, leaning forward slightly to glare harder at him. He liked that determination and anger she got when she glared, "I just wanted to know if they knew, because I'm not going to waste MY time on them if they won't take the help."

He chuckled, shaking his head as she took her arms back and folded them angrily over her chest, glaring at him, "alright, Siren. Calm down," he said, making her snort at him, "I'll tell everyone that you said you would."

He stood and headed for the exit, leaving behind the coldness where the heat of his body once was. She almost gave a sad sigh, missing the feel of him so close and his hands on her arms, but quickly shook it from her thoughts as she realized the men in the tent were eyeing her with knowing grins. "What the fuck are you idiots grinning at?" she growled, waving out at them as they chuckled.

"I thought you said you weren't associated with the Ogre of the Western Sea," the man in the bed across the way said, grinned as she glared at him.

"I said it was complicated," she growled, getting laughs from the men.

"It didn't look any more complicated than a good night's tryst," the man in the bed she was sitting on said, getting another round of laughter from the men.

She huffed before smiling and shaking her head, "I should have let them kill y'all when I had the option," she said, laughing along with them before finishing up changin their bandages.

She took a few deep breaths, rolling her eyes at the chuckles and laughs that followed her out of the tent, before making her way toward the war tent. She needed to talk to the warlords to see what sort of preperations she needed to make before Kenshin and Shingen got there. Would they need a tent of their own? She shook her head, knowing that they were probably bringing them, if they weren't already there. She also needed to know how bad the wounds were and what kind they were. Having been shot twice already, she wasn't taking in chances assuming that they would be sporting just blade wounds. She paused, feeling someone watching her and hoped that it was Sasuke just trying to sneak up on her. She hoped he would stop that, but sneaking was part of his job as a ninja, so she knew it wouldn't stop. He seemed to enjoy it anyway. She took a deep breath, pressing forward before glancing over her shoulder. _Something's wrong_ , she thought as she started to pick up speed, coming to a full out sprint as she around a couple of tents, almost running into Sasuke. He dodged, taking hold of her arms to stop her as her heart beat wildly while he laughed.

His face suddenly wiped clear of it's amused expression when he saw the fear on her face, "Max, what's wrong?" he asked, looking at her with stern eyes.

"Sasuke, please tell me you were watching me," she said, almost begging him to say he was.

His expression darkened as he turned back toward the way she had come from, frowning out over the camp, "where were you coming from?" he asked, looking back at her for a few seconds.

"I just came from the tent the men I take care of are in," a thought crossed her mind at that moment, bringing her hands to her lips and making her mouth dry, "the guys," she whispered, starting to run back toward the tent.

Sasuke kept pace with her, moving swiftly over the ground without making a sound as they came to the tent that the men, her men, were in. They brust through the flaps, getting confused stares from the men as they stood in the entry, glancing over everything.

"Is everything okay, Lady Max?" one of the men, Ryushiro asked, looking at her from under the bandage she had replaced around his head.

She took a deep breath and forced a smile, "yeah," she said, glancing at Sasuke as he stood and gave her a nod, "everythings fine I just..." she glanced at a bottle of water sitting on the closest table and grabbed it, showing it to the men, "forgot my water. Gotta keep hydrated!" She stepped out of the tent with Sasuke right behind her, scanning over the field only a short distance from the tent. "So, if they weren't after my guys, then..." she swallowed, know the answer, her body starting to shake slightly at the thought of Oda Nobunaga taking her captive.

Sasuke put his hand on her shoulder, bringing her fearful eyes up to him as he gave her a reassuring smile, "I'll have the ninja sweep the area just the be on the safe side," he said, nodding toward the camp, "you should stay in the camp until I'm sure it's safe."

She shook her head, "no. I'm responsible for these men and I'm going to take care of them no matter what," she said, giving him a glare as she poked his the chest before she spoke, "no matter what."

He sighed and rubbed the back of his head, "then you'll have to be escorted around the area," he said, putting his hands on his hips, "I'll see who's willing to put up with you as an escort."

She snorted, getting a grin from the ninja before smiling herself, "thanks, Sasuke. I appreiciate that," she said, getting a small nod from the ninja before he darted off toward the trees. She took a deep breath, suddenly wishing that she had an escort now as she made her way toward the war tent, yet again. She concentrated on her breathing, her feet working on autopilot as she moved through the camp. She stopped outside the tent. She heard voices inside but didn't really know how to knock on cloth before clearing her throat, "I need to talk to y'all about preparing for the other two guys that are coming."

The voices quieted for a moment, as if they were waiting for something before she heard a huff of frustration, "you going to talk through the tent or are you going to come in and talk?" Masamune's voice sounded this side of laughing.

She snorted and folded her arms over her chest, "I thought we could have a nicer conversation without me having to look at your ugly mug," she said, getting a round of chuckles from the men inside, making her smile before she entered, glancing at Masamune before taking a seat at the end near Chosokabe, "yep, ugly mug."

Masamune rolled his eye before smiling at her.

"What did you need to know?" Yukimura asked, looking at her from across the way.

She shrugged, "I want to know what sort of injures they suffered so I can be prepared to help if they need it," she said, adding the last part for the pride of everyone.

Yukimura looked down, his eyes sad as he swallowed before speaking, "Lord Takeda Shingen suffered a stab to his shoulder," he explained as she took a mental note, "it was deep. So deep the healers say that he won't be able to swing his mighty battle axe again."

Max gave a sharp laugh, instantly covering her mouth as Yukimura glared at her. She swallowed, still smiling despite herself, "I doubt it's that serious," she said, giving a small shrug, "besides, he'll be good as new if he does a little Physical Therapy." she paused at the confused looks she was getting, "Physical Therapy is a series of exercises that help someone regain strength in an area of their body that was severely injured. Like, if you got a broken leg, you would go through some physical therapy to help strengthen the broken leg."

"Like training for an injured part of your body," Chosokabe asked, getting a nod from the woman.

"Exactly," she said, giving Yukimura's excited expression a smile, "it may take a while, but I'm sure he'll be fine." She glanced at the others, "what about the other guy? Kenshin?"

"Lord Kenshin had suffered many bullet wounds from Nehime, Oda's wife," Kojuro said, spitting her name like a curse.

Max frowned, remembering the hot pain that came from being shot and took a deep breath, "alright. I got what info I needed," she glanced at the others and smiled, "you know, you guys should get shot some time. It sucks only having two people in this club," she said with a chuckle as Yukimura clicked his tongue.

"There's nothing funny about being shot," he growled, glaring at her.

Her expression instantly took on a serious note, motioning to her shoulder as she did, "tell me about it," she mumbled, making Yukimura look away, suddenly ashamed. She smiled, "if you want, I could get a gun a shoot you, then you wouldn't feel so bad."

Masamune and Chosokabe smirked at Yukimura, making the man glare at each of them before turning away, "no, thank you," he growled just before Sasuke entered the tent.

Max looked at him, her body stiffening as he shook his head, "I didn't find anything suspicious, Max," he said, making her frown and give a small nod.

"Must have been my imagination," she mumbled before looking back up at him, "thanks anyway, Sasuke. I really do appreiciate it."

"What happened?" Masamune asked, looking from the ninja to Max.

She took a deep breath, not really wanting to say anything to bother them if it really was nothing.

"Max thought she felt someone watching her," Sasuke said, making her lower her eyes to the ground in front of her, "I believe it might have been one of Oda's ninjas trying to capture her for his own purposes."

 _Great, now I'll have to have a body guard_ , she thought as Yukimura clicked his tongue.

"Blaggard! Does his tyranny know no bounds?" Yukimura growled, balling his fists against his legs.

Max shrugged, "he tried to kill me because I told him no," she said, giving Yukimura a frown, "I think that answers any and all questions."

Masamune watched the woman as she narrowed her eyes at Yukimura, her voice strong as usual but her body language said she was afraid. She didn't want to be captured by Oda and that was enough for him to know that she wasn't one of his. It was enough for him before, but this only confirmed it farther. He glanced at Kojuro, who was watching him, as if waiting for orders. He gave Kojuro a nod before turning back to the conversation. "Maybe somebody should guard the woman, just in case," he said, giving her a smile as she frowned at him, narrowing her emerald eyes at him. She was a little firework. Beautiful and explosive and loud all rolled into a kind, gentle package.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you," she growled, folding her arms over her chest.

He shrugged, leaning back slightly as he grinned at her, "watching you take your clothes off every night? Yes please," he said, getting an, almost outraged glare from the woman.

"Fucking pervert," she growled as Kojuro sighed and shook his head at his lord.

"Actually, that was what I was suggesting," Sasuke said, getting a desperate shut the fuck up glare from the woman, "if she is really being targeted, then Max is going to need an escort. At least for a little while, anyway."

Max glared at him and shook her head, "noooooo," she said, her voice higher than she intended.

Sasuke looked at her, the usual playfulness gone from his eyes, "Oda Nobunaga wants you in his custody. Why, we don't know. But if this prophecy that Motonari was talking about is true, then just having you as a captive could tip the scales in his favor, and we can't risk that when we are so close to winning this war."

Max glared at him for a moment before sighing and looking at the ground in front of her, "fine," she sighed, shaking her head, "you're right. I hate to say it, but, you are right."  
Sasuke gave a short nod before looking at Yukimura, "I'm going to scout the area farther, there may be traps hidden that were set for our men."

Yukimura gave a nod before Sasuke disappeared, the tent flap not even moving at his departure. Max stared down at the ground and sadly shook her head, "next time I go on vacation, I'm going to Texas," she grumbled, turning her legs around so she was sitting in a cross legged postition, "at least they don't have any time traveling, war fighting, samurai prophecy shit."

"So, final note," Masamune said, nodding toward her, "who's going to watch her first?"

Max snorted, "just draw straws or something," she mumbled, "does it really matter?"

Masamune shrugged, "probably not, but you are a bit of a..." he paused, having to smile at the glare she was giving him, like she would burn a hole in his face, "firework."

She blinked, a little stunned by that before frowning and tilting her head to the side, still looking at him, "I'm not going to accept that until you tell me what you mean by that," she said, folding her arms over her chest.

Chosokabe chuckled and gave a nod, "I agree," he said, watching her with a laughing eye.

She shot him a glare before taking a deep breath and shaking her head, "whatever," she mumbled, thinking that if she obsessed over it, she would be playing into their hands. _I'm not a fucking puppet_ , she thought before leaning back on her hands with her legs stretched out in front of her, "why don't y'all rock, paper, scissors for the postition?"

"What's that?" Chosokabe asked, blinking his single eye at her.

She smiled, sitting up as she used her own hands, "it's a game that decides things, like voting except more physical. Rock," she held up a fist, "beats scissors," she held up her two fingers and put her fist over them, "Scissors cuts paper," she said, laying her hand flat while the other acted the part of scissors, "and paper covers rock," she finished the explaination by putting her flat hand over her fist, "that's rock, paper, scissors or, another name is Rashambo."

"Oh, you mean Janken," Kojuro said, giving her a smile.

She blinked, "yes?" she said, hesitantly as he explained it the exact way she had, "then yeah. I don't know how it is in Japan, but in America, we play it for fun, or if we don't want to do something. The loser has to do whatever it is that we don't want to do."

"I will not lose!" Yukimura annouced, holding his fist up in front of him in determination.

Max rolled her eyes before looking at him, "you just kind of put your entire self into everything, don't you?"

Yukimura dropped his hand, looking at her with narrow eyes, "what's wrong with that?"

"Nothing, if you have nothing to lose," she said, looking at him like he was an idiot.

He clicked his tongue at her before narrowing his eyes, "there's nothing to lose and everything to gain from the defeat of Oda Nobunaga," he said, taking hold of the coins he had on a string around his neck.

Max sighed and gave a small nod, looking at the ground, a little embarrassed, "I get it, Yukimura. I understand fighting with your everything for something you believe in, but it would be stupid to put your entire self into a game like Rashambo," she said, giving him a small smile as she looked at him, "it's just a game."

Yukimura watched her for a few moments before giving a nod, "I understand," he said, putting his fist in front of him again, making her roll her eyes, "but that does not mean that I will lose."

Max chuckled and shook her head, "you're kind of like a little brother," she said, shaking her head as he blinked at her, "alright to be around sometimes, but annoying as fuck most days."

The other men in the tent chuckled as Yukimura frowned at her, "I am not."

After playing a few rounds of Rashambo, or Janken, Yukimura turned out to be the winner...but he didn't really get the concept that the loser, who would be Masamune, was supposed to watch her. She tried to explain it only to have him look at her with those confused brown eyes. She gave up trying when Kojuro gave her a gentle smile and shook his head as he patted her on the shoulder. They walked toward the tent where her men were, carrying food that would be easy enough for them to eat without much assistance. They entered the tent to the group smiling and greeting her, making her smile in return. Their smiles wilted, however, when Yukimura stepped into the tent, frowning at the men.  
He scoffed, making her turn and glare at him, "if you don't want to be here, you can wait outside," she growled, pointing at the exit behind him before passing out bowls and ladelling out some rice porrage, which, turned out, was the goop she had eaten that morning.

"Thank you, Lady Max," Hojikoto said, his eyes not looking at her. She smiled and gently put her hand on his shoulder, making him blink at it and look up at her then.

"It's alright, Hoji. I'm not gunna hate you because of what you said," she said, giving him a gentle smile as she motioned to his bowl of porrage, "now eat. I don't want to be mothering you knuckle heads for the rest of my life."

They all chuckled, even Hojikoto cracked a smile before eating his food.

"What did he say?" Yukimura asked as she finished dishing out the porrage. He glanced toward Hojikoto with sharp, angry eyes.

She shook her head, putting her hand on his chest to get his attention, "I already dealt with it, so you don't have to worry about it," she said, setting the cauldron on one of the tables by the entrance, "if you boys are hungry, I've got more. Just say something, alright? I don't want to have to rebandage you idiots because you had to have more of this slop."

The men chuckled again, grinning into their food as they talked back and forth. Max smiled, glad that she had helped them while starting to feel the weariness from a lack of sleep start to sink in. She yawned and shook her head, trying to keep herself awake.

"Are you alright, Max?" Yukimura asked, putting his hand gently on her shoulder.

She shrugged it off and gave a nod, "yeah, just a little tired," she said, giving him a weary smile, "a lot has happened to me in the last few days, so."

"You should go to your tent and take a nap," Yukimura said, stepping toward the exit and moving the flap apart.

She gave him an even look before shaking her head, "nah. I'm alright."

Yukimura frowned at her as she looked away, watching the dark circles under her eyes as she looked at the men in the sick beds. She looked more than a little tired, but he was afraid to say anything to her, or to force her to do anything. She was a strange, fickle woman and he couldn't understand most of her reasonings, but she stuck to them. He was, actually, a little surprised when she agreed to Sasuke's suggestion that she be escorted around the camp. _She must be really afraid, to agree without an arguement_ , he thought, watching as she took the cauldron of porrage to one of the men a little farther down the row. She poured it in before laughing and shaking her head at something he said. She seemed to get along with these men better than she did everyone else in the camp, laughing freely and joking around with them. One of the men on the other side of the tent said something, making her snort and say something back, getting a round of chuckles and laughs from the men. Yukimura studied the men in the tent, watching for any signs that they would turn tail and run back to their master first chance they got, but he couldn't find one. That bothered him. The men gave another laugh as she glared at each one of them, scoulding the man in another bed farther back in the tent than she was. They seemed to trust her, ignoring his presence while he stood watching them with his legs straight and his arms crossed over his chest. She walked back to the front of the tent, waving away something one of the men said as they watched her with rapt anticipation. Like she was about to do something spectacular as she set the cauldron on the table once again.

"So, Yukimura," she began, bringing his attention to her before he glanced back at the men, now grinning. She turned toward him, leaning back against the table with her arms and ankles crossed, "have you ever had sex, or are you still a virgin?" her face was completely serious as Yukimura's face paled before turning bright red.

The men in the tent started to laugh. "I can't believe she actually asked," a man with his arm in a sling said, slapping the shoulder of the man in the bed next to him with a bandage around his head.

Yukimura furrowed his brow, frowning at her as he snorted, "why would you want to know that?" he asked, looking down at the ground, embarrassed.

Max leaned forward slightly, looking at his face with disbelief, "oh my God. You're a virgin!" she said, getting another round of laughs from the men.

Yukimura's eyes shot up to her, angry and embarrassed as he stepped toward her, trying to intimidate her and failing, "I am not!" he said, his voice a little higher than he meant it to be.

She chuckled and shook her head, gently patting him on the shoulder, "don't worry, Yukimura. I won't tell anybody," she said, glancing at the men, "except these guys," she put her finger to her chin and looked up, "and Masamune, Chosokabe, Kojuro, maybe Sasuke, if he doesn't already know. Perhaps I'll even tell, what's his name, Shingen?"

Yukimura's eyes widened as he grabbed her, "please don't tell Lord Shingen! He thinks..." he paused, narrowing his eyes at the grin she had before snorting and shaking his head, "you wouldn't really tell all of those people, would you?"

She shrugged, "depends on how badly you piss me off today," she said, getting more chuckles from the men.

"Watch it, Young Cub," a man near the far end of the tent called, sitting on the edge of his bed with a bandaged chest and throat, "our mistress is a spiteful, cold bitch."

Max clicked her tongue and waved her fist at him, "no body asked you, Shukunoba!" she growled, getting a laugh from the man as he got back into bed. She shook her head, even though she was smiling, "men. Never listen when you need them to."

"Ahhh. You love us and you know it, Mistress Max," the man in the bed in front of them said, giving her a grin from under the bandages around his head. His chest and right leg were patched up as well.

She rolled her eyes, "someone has to," she mumbled, getting more chuckles before smiling herself.

Her and Yukimura left the tent, waving off the comments and jokes that followed them out before making their way toward the fire where dinner was being served. She felt her taste buds begging for her to find something else to eat as they walked. She glanced at Yukimura, smiling at the smile he still had on his face. She was a little surrpised that Yukimura had intergrated himself into the group of men in the tent, joking and laughing with them like he was a part of the group. Max liked watching him actually smile have a good time, except for that morning when they had a party going on. She smiled at that too, her mind going over the strange dances that the men had done before chuckling to herself, thinking that they thought her dances were weird. Yukimura glanced at her, smiling slightly before she waved him off.

"Just thinking about this morning," she said, grinning as they walked around the tents toward the line of hungry warriors, "you guys have some strange dances."

Yukimura laughed, taking a bowl as he moved, "you're the one that dances strangely," he said, getting a snort from the girl.

She rolled her eyes and laughed, "I dance like a woman from the twenty first century, my friend," she said, poking him in the chest as she moved around him, "and, honestly, that isn't the most, provacative dancing I could do. There's Don't Cha, M.I.L.F $(money), Milkshake, My hump, um..." she paused, thinking about all the songs she did covers of before seeing Yukimura's wide eyes. She laughed and shook her head, "you would turn so red watching me dance to those songs."

Yukimura snorted, narrowing his eyes at her before moving around her to get a bowl of some sort of broth soup stuff, "I would not," he grumbled, giving her a smug smile before leaning toward her in challenge, "I bet I wouldn't turn red at all with you dancing to one of those songs."

She smirked, folding her arms over her chest before stepping up to the cauldron to get her serving, "challenge accepted, Yuki," she said, getting a determined grin from the man.

"I will not turn red," he proclaimed, lifting his fist in front of him as they stepped up to sit with the other warlords.

Masamune gave him a raised eyebrow as he sat next to him before looking at Max, "why won't he turn red?" he asked, getting a laugh from Max as she sat between Chosokabe and Kojuro.

"I told Yukimura that there were a bunch of songs with dances that were more provacative, in my time and that they would turn him red. He said he wouldn't," she said, giving Yukimura a smirk, "but I gaurentee that he would before the end of the song."

Yukimura snorted, swallowing his mouthful of broth before lifting his fist in front of him, like he does, "I won't turn red!"

Masamune smirked at the other man before glancing at her, "so, these, dances," he started, getting a careful stare from the woman across from him, "how provacative are they?"

She swallowed the broth, wrinkling her eyebrows at the strong taste of fish, and onion, "let's just say that, if there were no clothes, it would look like having sex without the fun of sex."

Yukimura spat out his mouthful, coughing and choking as he leaned forward and beat his fist against his chest. "What?!" he yelped, getting a laugh from the warlords, "what kind of dancing is that?"

Max grinned, "the kind of dancing you said you wouldn't turn red at, but I haven't even started and you're already half way there."

Yukimura closed his eyes, trying to compose himself before he opened his eyes, the fire renewed as he lifted his fist again, "I won't turn red!"

Chosokabe laughed, pointing at the younger man, "you're already red, Yukimura."

Yukimura blinked, shocked before turning slightly red again.

Max chuckled and shook her head, "see? How the hell are you supposed to keep from turning red when you can't even stop from just a mere mention of the dance?"

Yukimura stood, taking a determined stance with his fist in front of him as he stared at her, "I WILL NOT TURN RED!" he almost screamed at her, making her wince slightly.

She stuck her finger in her ear before twisting it, "could you say that a little louder? I don't think they heard you in England," she grumbled, getting a nod from Chosokabe.

"Yeah, seriously," Masamune growled, leaning onto his knee with his elbow as he glared at Yukimura with his dark blue eye, "why do you have to be so loud?"

Yukimura huffed, stepping back to retake his seat with a flop as he looked at Max, "I won't lose."

Max gave a sharp laugh, lifting the edge of the bowl to her lips, "we'll see," she said, taking a long drink of the broth. She winced at the taste and shook her head, "seriously, I'm going to make one of these meals so you guys can taste real food."

Chosokabe sighed, finishing off the broth in a few gulped before licking the remenants from the corners of his mouth, "that would be nice," he mumbled, setting the bowl on the log beside him before looking at her, "so, we did that Rashambo thing and I won. Does that mean I get to watch you tomorrow, or not?"

Max sighed, "whoever loses it supposed to be the one to do something, not whoever wins," she explained, looking at Yukimura with a nod, "he just got carried away and over excited, I think."

Yukimura frowned, "whoever wins keeps an eye on her," Yukimura said before glancing at the ground, "I thought."

Max sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, "I tried telling you but you were so pumped about winning you didn't hear me," she said, giving him an annoyed stare, "put your everything in there again." Yukimura looked down at the ground sadly before Max sighed again, "hey, cheer up," she said, looking up at Chosokabe, "who lost?" she asked.

Chosokabe nodded toward Masamune with a grin, "seems the one-eyed dragon's luck stops short of Rashambo," he said, getting a tongue click from Masamune.

Max motioned to him, "see? You're better at Rashambo than Masamune," she said, getting a smile from Yukimura.

A man rushed from between the tents, running up to stand at the edge of their group, bending in half to catch his breath before he stood straight and gave them all a bow, "my lords! Lord Kenshin and Lord Shingen have arrived!"

Yukimura's face lit up as he got to his feet and went to the man, "take me to greet my lord Shingen."

The man nodded before he and Yukimura rushed off, leaving everyone to blink after them. Masamune sighed before groaning as he got to his feet, "well, guess we better go greet our new arrivals," he said, giving Kojuro a grin, "coming Uncle Kojo?"

Kojuro growled his frustration, making Max give him an apologetic smile, "I am so sorry, Kojuro. I had no idea he would use that for the rest of your life," she said, getting a sigh and a smile from said man.

"Don't worry about it," he said, giving her a gentle pat on the shoulder, "Masamune would have found something else to call me if you hadn't have given him that one."

She glanced at Masamune who was smirking at them before nodding, "guess it could be worse," she said, getting a laugh from the one-eyed dragon.

"Yes it could," he reminded Kojuro before walking toward the direction that Yukimura and the other man had run from.

Kojuro groaned as he got to his feet, "I'm getting too old for this," he mumbled, following Masamune at a slower pace.

Max smiled after them before looking at Chosokabe and nodding after them, "you coming Black Beard?" she asked, getting a glare from the man as he stood, leaning over her as he did.

"Do I look like I have a beard, woman?" he said, his deep gravely voice making it a growl.

She grinned up at him, getting to her feet and flicking her finger under his chin, "why not? Can't grow one?" she asked, walking past him with a sway in her hips as she flipped her hair.

He watched her walk, running his tongue over the upper corner of his lips as his eye followed her swaying hips. He growled to himself, cursing under his breath before following her while rubbing the back of his head. _What is this woman doing to me?_ He thought as he quickened his pace to catch up to her.


	8. Oldest Warlords

 

Max stood a little ways back from the group, watching as Yukimura and his leader punched one another. She halfway worried about how hard they hit one another and actually moved up to step between them, stopping whatever swings they were about to blow mid-motion. Yukimura frowned at her as she turned to glare and wag her finger at him.

  
"Why the hell are you beating the crap out of each other when you're injured?" she asked, turning and motioning toward Shingen, dressed in his tiger striped armor and huge red mane.

  
Shingen blinked at her a couple of times before glancing behind her to Yukimura, as if asking for an introduction.

  
"Master Shingen," Sasuke appeard out of nowhere, making her yelp and jump before she gave his shoulder a smack. He just grinned at her before giving the man in the mane a bow before motioning toward Max, "this is the Fallen Star, Max Star," he said, making her narrow her eyes at him.

  
"Just Max, is fine," she said, giving Sasuke an eye roll, "I have been informed about your condition and the special precautions and treatments that may be needed while you're here."

  
A man wearing white and blue with a strange headdress stepped around Shingen and gave her a gentle smile, "I wasn't expecting someone..." he started, not knowing how to put it.

  
"Strange," Yukimura offered.

  
"Annoying," Sasuke said with a sigh.

  
"Entertaining," Chosokabe said, grinning at her.

  
She gave each of them a glare before snorting, "fuckers," she grumbled, getting a few chuckles from the men around her.

  
"I was going to say, different," the man in white said, taking her hand in his and kneeling down in front of her, making her blink at him, "I am honored to meet the Fallen Star which the prophecy speaks of. I am Kenshin Uesugi, the lord of the Echigo Provence, known as the God of War."

  
Max glanced at Masamune, like she wasn't sure what to do, only to get a grin. She narrowed her eyes, glancing back in time to see him start to kiss her hand. She grimaced, jerking her hand from his before stuffing it in her pants pocket and glancing off, like she didn't just avoid a hand kiss from the God of War.

  
He blinked up at her, confused at the sudden retreat of her hand before he stood, giving her a gentle smile as his bright teal eyes glanced at Chosokabe standing behind her with a satisfied smirk on his face. He looked back at her as Shingen gave a loud laugh and slapped Kenshin on the back, making the smaller man stumble slightly and wince. If she wasn't watching his face, she wouldn't have noticed. She gave a frustrated huff before shooting a glare at Shingen, "seriously! Stop with that shit," she growled, narrowing her eyes at the large man behind Kenshin before nodding toward the tent her men were in, "come on. God of War or not, bullet wounds hurt," she said, gently taking his wrist before grabbing Shingen by the front of his armor, "you two need to be checked over before anything else happens."

  
Shingen gave a surprised laugh before glancing back at Yukimura, who moved foward to walk beside Max.

  
"You shouldn't pull on Lord Shingen like that, Max. It's disrespectful," he growled, glaring at her.

  
She snorted and glared back, "I would have more respect for him if you two didn't beat the fuck out of one another while he's INJURED," she growled back, getting a tongue click from Yukimura before he sighed, glancing back at Shingen before nodding.

  
"Of course," he said, looking down at the ground as they stopped in front of the tent her men were in.

  
She took a deep breath, releasing the two warlords before leaning over to look at Yukimura, "look, Yuki, when I check him over and make sure he's alright, you two can butt heads like the rams you are for the rest of enternity, for all I care, alright?"

  
He gave a small nod, looking up at her with sad brown eyes.

  
"Right now, according to you and the others, these two are in my care, and I am going to take care of them like I took care of my guys," she said, giving him a playful shove that made him frown at her but look at her more fully, "you will be the first one to know once he's got the thumbs up."

  
Yukimura gave a small sigh before smiling, "thank you, Max."

  
She rolled her eyes, waving it away, "yeah, yeah, yeah. Just remember that you people placed me with this burden," she grumbled, motioning the two men inside, "just have a seat on one of the empty beds, boys."

  
Shingen and Kenshin glanced at one another before moving into the tent. They hesitated at the entrance, their eyes scanning over the men in the tent. A few of them were sitting on the same bed, playing cards of some sort before stopping to stare at them. Shingen glanced at the armor and swords sitting against the table to the side of the entrance, frowning at the insignia and color. Kenshin noticed as well and half wondered what the others were thinking in their absence. The woman, Max Star, walked into the tent, getting a few smiles from the men as they waved and greeted her. Kenshin and Shingen glanced at one another, not sure what to make of this strange woman as she moved around the tent, slapping a few of the men on the shoulder before checking a few bandages.

  
"You good, Konome?" she asked one of the men sitting with a book in his hands, "you need more ink?" He gave her a smile and shook his head, thanking her before dipping his brush into the ink beside his bed and going back to what he was doing in the book.

  
She sat on the edge of the bed of a boy with a bandage over his left eye and checked it, "does it hurt anymore, Toto?" she asked, tilting her head slightly as she lifted the edge of the bandage and adjusted it.

  
He shook his head, his good eye glancing at the two war lords standing at the entrance, "Mistress Max," he started, making her sigh before she stood and gave the two men an annoyed stare.

  
"Seriously," she said, motioning toward the empty bed in front of her, "take a seat before you make my guys wet themselves."

  
Kenshin and Shingen glanced around the tent, still weary about being in a tent full of Nobunaga's men. Kenshin was the first to move, walking gracefully toward her and taking a set on the edge of the bed beside Toto's. He gave her a smile, as she nodded and looked back up at Shingen.

  
"What's wrong, Shingen? Scared of a few injured men?" she asked, trying to make light of the tension that was starting to fill the tent. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, shaking her head as she moved toward him, "look, I know you're probably nervous about being treated in a tent full of bad guys, but I promise you, they've turned over a new leaf. They're my men now," she said, turning toward the area as she raised her voice, "right boys!" They all cheered, making her grin. She had to stifle a giddy, girly wiggle before looking back up at the tall war lord, "see?"

  
Shingen still hesitated, folding his arms over his chest before Yukimura stepped into the tent. He got a few waves and gafaws from the men before waving back, "hey guys!" he said, noticing the game they were playing as he walked to the bed with the three men on it.

  
"Want dealt in, Cub?" the man sitting at the head of the bed asked, gathering up the cards and handing them to one of the other men.

  
Yukimura smiled and gave a nod, "sure! Deal me in!" he put his fist in front of himself and Max couldn't resist.

  
"I won't lose!" she cried, laughing as Yukimura blinked and shot her a glare.

  
"You aren't playing," he growled, making the men in the bed laugh.

  
"I am in my mind and, I've already beaten you," she said, grinning at him.

  
Shingen watched the woman and his general insult one another for a few minutes before giving a loud laugh, slapping Max on the shoulder before pulling her into a half hug, making her grunt against his massive arms, "I'm proud that the Young Cub has found a woman worthy of his passion and attention," he pronouced, making her eyes widen.

  
"Excuse me!?!" she yelped, trying to push the large man away from her, "I wouldn't be caught dead dating this wack job!"

  
Shingen blinked at her before releasing her. Yukimura stood, stunned by the proclaimation as well before pointing at her accussingly, "she said she wouldn't bare me any sons if we were to be wed. Not that she would bare any decent children to begin with."

  
Max sucked her teeth before giving Yukimura a glare, "this again! You're assuming that I find you in the least bit attractive," she snarled, waving her hands out toward him, "besides, it's the man that decides the gender of the child, not the woman! I only have X chromosomes, Jackass!"

  
Yukimura glared harder at her, his fists balled in his hair, "I don't know what that means!" he roared, frustrated.

  
She glared harder, "go back to your game before I knock your fucking teeth out for being 400 years behind medical knowledge," she growled, turning and glaring at Shingen before pointing toward the bed Kenshin was sitting on, "now get your big fucking ass to that bed before I drag you there for starting this bull shit again!"

  
Shingen blinked at her a few times before giving a loud gafaw and walking toward the bed, "then you have discussed it!? Good, good," he said, sitting heavily on the bed as Kenshin stripped the clothing from his upper body and carefully folded them on the table bedside the bed.

  
Max glared daggers at him before shaking her head as Yukimura went back to the bed with the other men, getting nudges and chuckles from them. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself as she started to prepare bandages and wash clothes.

  
"I heard yelling," Chosokabe's voice brought her attention to the tent flap as he stepped just inside with Masamune behind him, "you and Yukimura finally going to do battle?"

  
Max snorted, slapping the wash cloth in her hands into the bowl of water, splashing most of it onto the table, "I would, but I don't want to make him cry," she growled, getting a tongue click from Yukimura.

  
"If anybody would be crying, it would be you, woman!" he growled, putting his fist out toward her.

  
Chosokabe and Masamune chuckled as they strolled into the tent, moving to stand near the two older warriors as they disrobbed for her inspection. She took a deep breath and ran her hand roughly through her hair, shaking her head as she followed, taking the bowl of water with her.

  
"Oda Nobunaga left the battle field after going to blows with Masamune and Yukimura," Chosokabe said, sitting heavily on the bed across from them.

  
"When our little friend here showed up," Masamune said, slapping her on the shoulder, making her wince before giving him a glare and elbowing him in the stomach.

  
"Bastard," she growled as he grunted and chuckled at her. She moved to stand in front of Kenshin, setting the bowl on the table, "he kept calling me the Fallen Star, and Motonari said something about a prophecy," she paused, wringing out the cloth before turning to look down at Kenshin, "of course, so did you."

  
Kenshin watched her narrow her emerald eyes at him before they scanned over the bandages cris-crossed over his body and down his arms, covering the wounds he had suffered. He closed his eyes, thinking of the next thing to say, "the prophecy says that a star will fall from the sky and bring with it the strength of a hundred thousand men that will bolster the fighting power of whomever the star deems fit to grant this power," he said, opening his eyes to look up at her with a gentle smile, "I take it, with your strange clothing and lack of respect for those with more prowess than yourself, you are the Fallen Star of prophecy."

  
Max clicked her tongue, leaning over him slightly, "if you have such prowess, how did you get injured in the first place?" she asked, narrowing her eyes for a second before smirking as she sat on the bed beside him, gently removing the bandages to check the wounds, "and as far as this, hundred thousand men goes, I forgot to pack them before being drug through time. Sorry."

  
Chosokabe smirked, leaning on his knee as he looked between the two men, "we expect Oda to be trying to bolster his army for another attack."

  
"We also expect him to attempt to capture the fallen star," Masamune said, nodding toward Max as she cleaned the wounds on Kenshin's chest, arm and stomach, "that's why we are taking turns to keep an eye on the girl until we are sure of Nobunaga's intentions."

  
Max smiled, "no pun intended," she mumbled, getting a smirk from the two men with eyepatches as she stood and went to get her first aid kit.

  
"We expect him to make a move sooner, rather than later, while our own troops are still weak," Chosokabe said, leaning back with his hands behind his head, "that's what I would do, anyway."

  
Max brought the kit over, getting a glance from the two new war lords before starting to place the cool neosporin on a piece of gauze. It took her a second to realize that they were all watching her. She blinked, glancing at the men before shrugging and showing them the tube of antibiotic, "it's an ointment to help prevent infection," she said, gently laying it over one of the bullet wounds, "we use this in my time all the time. Pretty much on every kind of wound you can think of." She ignored the rest of the stares, going back to the kit for another gauze patch, "now, is Nabunaku like you guys? Like, does he want to be on the front lines fighting?"

  
Shingen nodded, folding his arms over his massive chest before wincing and lowering his hands to his knees, "he would rather be on the battle field, yes."

  
Max gave a small nod, starting to wrap a bandage around Kenshin's body to keep the gauze in place, "well, unless he's really fast at healing bullet wounds, he's going to be out for a while," she said, finishing up with Kenshin before walking around to sit behind Shingen. She frowned at the bandages that were bled through and shook her head, "you really need to stop moving around so much," she mumbled, gently removing the bandages from Shingen's shoulder.

  
"What did you mean when you said Oda will be out for a while?" Yukimura asked, standing from the game he was playing and stepping up to stand behind her.

  
She wondered if it was to make sure she patched Shingen up right, but quickly ignored it, "I shot him," she said, like it wasn't a big deal before turning and pointing at the area on Yukimura's hip where the bone for the leg met the hip bone, "right about there. I'm no expert on wounds, despite treating a lot of them, but anyone who gets hurt there is going to have a hard time standing for long periods of time, and that's really all you people do is stand." She sighed when she realized she had left the bowl of water on the table and tapped Kenshin on the arm, "could you get that for me, please," she asked, motioning toward the bowl. He handed it to her, "thank ya," she said before wringing out the cloth and dabbing at the crusted blood around Shingen's wound, frowning as she did.

  
"Oda won't just lay down and rest, he'll still try to attack while we are weak," Masamune said, glancing at the tent exit as someone entered, "he won't wait to be fully healed and I wouldn't expect him to."

  
Max rolled her eyes, gentle cleaning the wound as she spoke, "okay, assuming that he could stand on the battle field, and assuming he could fight, he would be favoring his left leg and hip, at the very least," she said, looking up at Masamune, "that puts strain on the right leg which, after a while, won't be much better off than the left. It's still an advantage that you guys can take and run with." She turned her attention back to the wound, putting the neosporin on a large piece of gauze before gently placing it over the wound on Shingen's shoulder.

  
"At least it's something to keep in mind," Kojuro's voice made her glance at him as he stepped up at the end of the bed.

  
Max gave him a small nod before wrapping a bandage around the wound, "now don't do too much moving until you're a little more healed. That punch fest you and boo-boo put one another through busted the wound open," she said, gathering up the medical supplies before standing, "if I find out that you've started bleeding again because you couldn't resist punching Yuki, I'll kick your ass and leave you to bleed in the dirt," she turned that emerald gaze to Kenshin, "that goes for you too, War God."

  
Shingen and Kenshin glanced over their shoulders at her before looking at one another and smiling.

  
"It seems we have no choice but to obey," Kenshin said, his voice smoothe as silk.

  
Shingen laughed, slapping Kenshin on the back, making the smaller man jerk forward, "yes, it seems."

  
Max frowned, smacking Shingen on the bandage, making him wince, "what the fuck did I say?" she growled, getting an apologetic grin from the war lord.

  
"My apologies, Fallen Star," he said, getting a sigh from the woman.

  
"Look, let's get this out of the way right now," she said, handing the first aid kit off the Yukimura and nodding toward the table at the entrance, "my name is Maxine Star, but you can call me Max. I would prefer it, actually."

  
Kenshin stood, giving her a gentleman's bow with one hand to his chest and the other out at his side, "thank you for your medical attention, Lady Max. The men here are honored, I'm sure, to have you tend their wounds."

  
Max blinked at him a few times, actually blushing at the honesty in his compliment. Her eyes moved to the men behind him, grinning at her like they had just won some victory. She scowled at them before clicking her tongue and turning her attention to the men playing cards on the bed, "whatever," she mumbled, folding her arms over her chest as a few of the men around her chuckled. She shot them glares before rolling her eyes, "why the hell'd I save your sorry asses again?"

  
The men laughed as Hojikoto stood, "because you need us for this battle."

  
Max blinked at him, surprised as the other men in the tent looked at one another before getting to their feet and facing her. She looked at each one as they put their fists against their chest, looking at her with determined eyes.

  
"Mistress Max, as a former member of the Oda army, I, Hojikoto Masamuki, here by swear loyalty to you and your cause," he said, getting a unanimous agreement from the other men as most of them stood and did the same thing.

  
Max blinked at them, feeling pride swell in her chest before she glanced down at the ground, thinking. She finally took a deep breath and looked up at them, shaking her head, "no."

  
Hojikoto and the other men blinked at her, surprise and confusion on their faces. Hojikoto stepped forward, "but, why not? If this has anything to do with our former ties to the Oda army..."

  
Max cut him off, "it has nothing to do with that," she said, giving them all sad eyes, "join one of the other armies, but I won't lead you. I just finished fixing you guys up, for God's sake."

  
"But, we want to fight," Toto said from behind Chosokabe and Masamune, bringing their attention to him, "we want to fight to unite Japan for peace."

  
Max gave a slow exhale before shaking her head, "I'm sorry, but my answer is no," she said, turning and starting for the exit, "and I don't want to hear another word about it."


	9. Pressure

 

She exited the tent, moving quickly back to the main part of camp before letting her feet switch into auto pilot and carry her through the tents. The men, those men, that she helped wanted her to lead them to battle. Why? She wasn't a warrior. She was barely a fighter. The thought of war scared the shit out of her and they wanted her to lead them to it. She stopped, her eyes wandering up to blink at the grave of Toshi. She swallowed the thick saliva as she took a deep breath, staring at the grave marker. _What am I going to do?_ she thought, feeling her eyes start to burn with unshed tears.

  
"Why won't you lead them?" a voice behind her made her jump.

  
She turned, blinking at Chosokabe, Masamune and Yukimura before giving them a glare and turning back to the grave. They weren't quiet men so she knew she was lost in the thoughts.

  
"I just won't," she said, her eyes fixated on the tombstone rock as they stepped up beside her.

  
Yukimura leaned forward, looking at Max's face before glancing at the grave that Chosokabe's men had dug. They had buried a man here because she had requested it, and now he wondered who it was.

  
"You're not scared, are you Firework?" Masamune asked, his voice teasing.

  
She didn't respond, bringing his mouth down into a frown before looking at the grave.

  
"Who was he?" Yukimura asked, making her blink.

  
"An enemy," Chosokabe said, snorting at the grave.

  
She took a deep breath, "he was a man forced to fight to keep his family alive and safe," she said, lifting her chin slightly before taking another deep breath and licking her lips, "I am scared, but that isn't why I said no."

  
"Then why?" Yukimura asked, turning to give her a more determined look around Masamune, "why won't you lead the men that want to be in service to you? It would be their honor to fight in this war!"

  
Max looked at him then, her eyes red with unshed tears, "because, eventually, I will go back home. Back to my own time," she shook her head, looking back down at the grave, "I can't lead these men because I won't be with them forever. It's better for them to intergrate into an army that actually has a chance."

  
"We're one army right now," Masamune pointed out, glancing over his shoulder at the camp, "until Oda is defeated, we work together and that includes you."

  
She scoffed, wiping under her nose with the back of her hand, "I don't know a damn thing about war or fighting. What little I do know, I learned in a fucking karate class in the states before I went on vacation," she said, waving her arm out toward the battlefield.

  
"Then we'll teach you," Chosokabe said, letting his hand drop heavily on her shoulder.

  
She turned to glare up at him, "you want to teach me how to fight? Why?"

  
"So you can lead," Masamune said, giving her a smirk.

  
"I'm not going to lead the men I took care of and fought to keep alive to their fucking deaths," she growled, stepping up to him while she pointed at the tent where her men resided.

  
"But we want to fight," a small male voice made her turn to look at Hojikoto and Toto as they stood a few paces away from them. Toto gave her a determined smile and held his fist up in front of him like Yukimura did, "we want to fight for the peace of our country."

  
Max felt her heart ache and was about to speak when Hojikoto did, "even if you won't lead us into battle yourself, we're still going to fight."

  
Max watched them for a moment before frowning, "you want me to lead you into a battle against a man that wanted to kill me because I told him no? For some peace that may never come?" she shook her head, "I won't lead you to your deaths."

  
"You should have more confidence in yourself, Siren," Chosokabe said, giving her a grin, "you have the makings of a warrior."

  
She shook her head, looking down at the ground, her body starting to shake as her first day in this time period flashed through her mind, "I can't lead them," she said, closing her eyes.

  
"Can't or won't?" Masamune asked, folding his arms over his chest as he frowned at her.

  
She looked at him then, her eyes full of fear, "you may want to fight Oda to the death, but I don't. I'm fucking terrified," she sniffled, wrapping her arms around herself as she turned to look at the grave again. Tears started to trickle down her cheeks, "I'm not a warrior. I'm a cover singer of an ecelctic singing group where the most dangerous thing we do are stage dives. I've never physically fought a single person in my entire life," she sniffled, feeling her own body tremble as she closed her eyes and lowered her chin the her chest, "all I want is to go home," she whispered, sniffling as she slowly opened her eyes and looked at the grave. She took a deep breath, swallowing the next wave of tears as weariness started to take over her body, "I haven't slept since I got here because I just keep seeing Nobunaga's eyes," she shivered at the thought, rubbing her hands over her arms, "I can't..." she stopped, not really sure how to put it.

  
"You'd be stupid to not be a little afraid," Masamune said, stepping close enough for her to feel his body heat.

  
Chosokabe nodded, "yeah, or emotionless."

  
She lowered her eyes to the ground, her head was starting to hurt from lack of sleep, a dull throbbing that made her ears pop. She felt a hand on her shoulder, bringing her attention to Masamune as he gave her an encourageing smile.

  
"You can't live life if you keep your eyes closed and hide all the time," he said, making her blink before looking at the ground.

  
"Mistress Max," Toto's voice was small but a little closer, "please lead us."

  
Max stood still, her mind reeling with a thousand thoughts and memories before she closed her eyes, "let me think about it and give you an answer in the morning," she mumbled, knowing that that wasn't what they wanted to hear, but that was the best she could give them. She heard the two men walk away, leaving her alone with Chosokabe, Masamune and Yukimura. She kept her arms around herself, feeling cold all the way to her bones. The only thing she really wanted was to go home, but that was yesterday and the men she took care of wanted her to lead them. _How did I end up in this mess?_ she thought, closing her eyes against another wave of tears.

  
"Would you feel better if I kissed ya?" Masamune's voice was warm against her ear, making her slowly open her eyes and look at him.

  
She knew he was just trying to cheer her up, but she didn't want to be cheered up. She wanted to scream and holler and beat her fists against the ground like a child while she cried. She wanted...She wanted to be held and told everything would be okay. This was all a dream that her mind made up after a long day of looking at samurai artifacts. She knew it wasn't, but she wanted to hear that it was. Even if it was a lie.

  
"Why do you get to kiss her?" Chosokabe growled over her head at the other man getting a tongue click in response.

  
"Because I thought of it first, that's why," Masamune growled back, standing tall and glaring at the other man.

  
They stood facing one another for a moment before Chosokabe stepped around her, giving Masamune a shove, sending the two into a shoving match behind her. She took a breath, slightly welcoming the anger that started to bubble in her chest before turning that anger on the two war lords, "fucking serious, right now?" she growled, stopping their fists in mid swing as they looked at her, "I'm trying to think what my next move would be and you two can't keep it in your pants long enough for me to have a moment?"

  
They blinked at her before stepping apart, giving her small smiles as she glared at them.

  
"There's our firework," Masamune said, giving her a grin as he put his hand on her head.

  
She smacked it off before giving him a shove, "fuck off," she snarled, only making the two laugh, "get out of here. I'm sick of looking at you two."

  
They shook their heads, grinning and laughing as they went back to the camp. She took a deep breath, looking at Yukimura, who was watching her with calculating eyes. She snorted, "the fuck you want, Yuki?"

  
He blinked, as if coming out of a transe before shaking his head and smiling, "thank you for taking care of Lord Shingen's wounds. It is most appreciated."

  
She rolled her eyes, "yeah, yeah," she said, waving him off as he stood there watching her. She took a deep breath, turning back to the grave with a new sadness in her heart and on her mind. 

  
"What are you going to do, Lady Max?" Yukimura's voice brought her attention up to him as he moved to stand next to her.

  
She took a deep breath and shook her head, "I don't know," she sighed, hugging herself as the wind picked up. She felt Yukimura turn her and pull her against the front of his body, making her blink in surprise. He stroked her hair as he held her with his other arm, hugging her. She swallowed, feeling the tears start up again as she slid her arms around to his back and buried her face in his shoulder.

  
"You're a very strong woman, Max," he said against her hair, "stronger than many men I have faced. Which is all the more reason that you should lead the men that have no leader. If you don't, who will?"

  
She sniffled and closed her eyes as a sob broke from her lips. His arms tightened around her, holding her in place while her body started to tremble. From what she had told them, the worst fighting there was in her time period were arguements. It only made sense for her to be terrified of the up coming battle. She sobbed into his chest, soaking his chest with her tears. His eyes moved to the grave of the man Motonari had shot, making him frown and furrow his brow in anger. Motonari had no right to kill an injured man, especially when the man had no way to fight back and defend himself. She took a deep breath, sniffling as she started to step away from him. He let her go, his hands sliding along her back and down her arms to rest holding her hands. She kept her eyes on his stomach, but they weren't focused. He tilted his head to the side, not understanding why she was so afraid of the up coming battle when everyone else relished it. Yukimura lifted one of his hands from her's, brushing his knuckle across her cheek to remove the wet trail that was still there. She blinked, looking at him with surprised emerald eyes.

  
He gave her a smile, his eyes sparkling with a gentle light, "you should smile, Max," he said, brushing a few strands of hair away from her forehead, "I like it better when you smile."

  
She blinked at few times, feeling her heart quicken in her chest as they stared into one another's eyes. The moonlight made Max's skin almost glow, putting stars in those emerald eyes. Yukimura tried to breathe past the beating of his own heart as he returned Max's stare, the saliva in his mouth turning to cotton, forcing him to swallow. He started to lean forward, moving his face closer to her's before someone clearing their throat snapped them both back into reality. She lowered her eyes and cleared her own throat as Yukimura dropped her hands, stepping back with a blush on his cheeks. Sasuke stood leaning against a tree, grinning at them like he had caught them doing something naughty.

  
"Sorry to interrupt," Sasuke said with a chuckle as Max shot him a glare.

  
"You were only interrupting my peace, Uchiha," she growled, getting a flash of a confused look before his face went back to grinning.

  
"What is it, Sasuke?" Yukimura asked, having regained his compossure.

  
Sasuke turned his attention to Yukimura, "I have lain traps for any enemies that would attempt to sneak up on our camp, both on the ground and in the trees, should they send ninja of their own."

  
Yukimura gave Sasuke a nod, "right. Thank you, Sasuke," he said as Max turned and started for the center of the camp, "Max, wait."

  
Sasuke moved forward, placing a hand on his master's shoulder to keep him from running after the woman, "I think she needs a little time, Yukimura."

  
Yukimura glanced at Sasuke before giving a sigh and a nod, "yeah."

  
Max walked through the tents, her mind reeling with everything that had happened to her over the last few days. She took a deep breath, pushing the play button on the IPod after scrolling to one of the songs ( _ **If Only - Dove Cameron**_ ). The song started up as she turned her face toward the moon and stars, saying a silent prayer before she started to sing. She slowly moved through the tents after the first chorus, moving toward where the meals were made and the bon fire was still going. She put her hand to her heart, closing her eyes as she lifted her face toward the sky as she stood in the fire light.

  
The sound of her singing caught the attention of the men in the camp, bringing them to the edge of the light, watching as she spun and sang, doing slow contemporary dancing before breaking into an almost violent motion that looked like she was fighting herself. She slowed before stopping and looking up, doing another spin as she danced around the fire as her mind worked out what she was going to do. She stopped, looking into the flames as they danced themselves, reaching up toward the star lit sky. She followed the smoke with her eyes as it billowed up before taking a breath. Her posture changed from one of fear, confusion, sadness and pain to one of confidence as she lifted her chin slightly at the flames.

  
"Finally decided, have ya?" Masamune's voice brought her attention to him and Chosokabe as they stood just inside the flickering light, wearing smug smiles.

  
She took a deep breath and smiled, giving them a nod, "yes," she said, turning back to the flames, "if I don't lead them, they'll just follow someone else," she turned back to them giving them a smirk as she folded her arms over her chest, "and I don't want them following one of you ignorant blowhards to their death."

  
They glanced at one another, giving each other a smile before looking at her.

  
"Blowhards, huh?" Chosokabe growled, slamming his anchor spear onto the ground, "I'll give ya blowhard."

  
"I wouldn't say I'm too keen on being called ignorant either," Masamune said, narrowing his eye at her.

  
She shrugged, turning back to the fire as if they weren't worth her time, "just calls 'em like I sees 'em," she said, putting her hand out, "you know, since I have BOTH my eyes."  
She glanced at them out of the corner of her eye, watching them both blink at her before Chosokabe growled, moving toward her after swinging his anchor spear onto his shoulder, "oh, little siren. You're going to regret that."

  
Masamune drew one of his swords as he moved a few seconds after Chosokabe, "I get to take her head."

  
Max blinked, turning slightly to look at them like she wasn't sure they would actually kill her before the smiles on their faces reassured her that they were just playing along.

She smirked, lifting her arms in the air before taking a few steps away from the fire, and the crazy samurai. "You know. It's getting late so I better get to my tent," she said, walking back a few paces, "lots to do tomorrow."

  
"Why are you running?" Masamune asked, grinning at her as he rest his sword on his shoulder.

  
"Yeah," Chosokabe chimed in, "it's like your afraid of us or something."

  
Max snorted, "I'm not afraid of a couple of teddybears," she said, getting shocked blinks from the men as she took a few more steps back.

  
"Now we're teddybears?" Masamune asked, sounding a little shocked.

  
Max grinned, "absolutally," she said, pausing as she glanced over her shoulder gauging how much room she had between herself and the edge of a tent, "if teddybears were homicidally violent."

  
Chosokabe gave a loud gafaw before his anchor spear slammed down behind her, making her yelp. She blinked at the anchor spear, thinking that she didn't hear him launch it into the air before turning to give him a glare. She yelped again, taking a few quick steps back at seeing Chosokabe standing right in front of her. He grinned down at her, his bright blue eye sparkling in the flickering fire light.

  
"Geez, Chosokabe, you could have actually hurt her, you know," Masamune grumbled, giving the other man a glare.

  
Chosokabe snorted, looking at Masamune with an annoyed eye, "I knew what I was doing," he growled back, getting a tongue click from the one-eyed Dragon.

  
Max sighed as the two started argueing, rolling her eyes before turning to leave.

  
"Where do you think you're going?" Chosokabe's voice was loud as a strong arm wrapped around her waist, lifting her off the ground.

  
She yelped before gritting her teeth, beating her fists against his arm, "damn it, Cho, put me down," she growled, only to get a laugh from the men.

  
"Not until you say my name," he growled, his deep voice almost a purr that sent a warm shiver down her spine.

  
She snorted, pushing the hormones down before bringing her elbow around and hitting him in the forehead. He stumbled back, releasing her enough for her to drop to her feet. She crouched when she landed, bringing her leg around and tripping Chosokabe, making him tumble to the ground with a yell of surprise. She stood and went to stand over him, giving the blinking man a glare before poking him in the forehead with her finger. "Chosokabe Motochika," she said, her voice soft, making him blink at her before giving her a half smile as Masamune laughed, sliding his sword back into it's sheath.

  
She offered him her hand, holding steady as he pulled himself to his feet and rubbed the back of his head, "you've got some moves, I'll give you that," he said, going to his anchor spear and lifting it onto his shoulder.

  
"Guess this kitten has some claws after all," Masamune said, giving her a grin.

  
She glared at him before shaking her head, "I told you I took a few karate classes before going on vacation."

  
He shrugged, "it was still surprising, but hilarious to watch."

  
Chosokabe clicked his tongue at Masamune, giving the other man a glare, "then next time, you can be on the other end of that elbow."

  
Max couldn't help but laugh as the two argued with one another, eventually turning into an all out insult fest.


	10. Heart Throbbing

 

Max stood on the field that once held the bodies and blood of the warriors that fell, watching as the men that she now commanded practiced their swordsmanship. Swinging the swords down as they stepped forward and back. She smiled at how hard they were working, trying to regain what strength they had as her mind wandered to that morning.

  
_"Mistress Max," Toto asked as soon as she entered the tent, "have you decided?"_

  
_Max snorted, folding her arms over her chest as she looked at all the men before her. Her emerald eyes narrowing at the lot of them before she smirked, "well, someone has to lead you cast offs and I don't trust anyone else to do it. So, I guess I'm stuck with you bunch of losers for the rest of my life," she said, getting a round of cheers and congratulations from the men._

  
She smirked to herself, feeling a small sense of pride as she watched the men, her men, train.

  
"See? I told you all you needed was a little confidence, Siren," Chosokabe's voice made her sigh as she turned to look at the man. He stepped up beside her, watching them do their training before glancing down at her, "you might be able to mold something out of these scoundrels yet."

  
Max snorted, folding her arms over her chest, "didn't you win Rashambo?" she asked, tilting her head slightly as he smirked.

  
"Masamune's pissed that he keeps losing and I don't have the heart to tell him he has a tell," he said, putting his hands on his hips.

  
She smiled, "well, if anyone could find a tell, it would be a pirate," she said, getting a chuckle.

  
"I guess, but Yukimura found the tell as well," he said, watching as the youngest man's stance was corrected by one of the older warriors.

  
Max shrugged, "or he's just lucky," she said, watching Toto smile after swinging the sword a couple of times, "he does have a lot of luck for a high strung, loud, first-into-battle guy."

  
Chosokabe smiled, looking at Max as she watched the men practice. There was something different about her now. Something that he found himself wondering about. It couldn't be the new found confidence, she had plenty of that to boot before becoming the leader of this band of misfits. She smiled at the men, the kind of smile any man would love given to him. One of pride, support and confidence in what he did. Her expression faultered, becoming one of concern when one of the men dropped their sword.

  
"Excuse me for a sec," she said before moving toward the man as the other men stopped to check on him.

  
She lifted the man's hand, moving his wrist slowly, incase there were any injuries before frowning as he winced. She scoulded him, wagging her finger at a man twice her age before picking up his sword and escorting him from the training area. Chosokabe watched her as she started to wrap his wrist, knowing that the man would, likely, never wield a sword again. He sighed and walked toward her, listening to them talk as the men in the field started to train again.

  
"I won't be able to fight like this, Mistress," the older man said, getting a snort from Max.

  
"Nonsense," she said, tieing off the bandage before slapping him on the back, "you just need to rest the wrist and exercise it a little, Mitoshu." The man gave her a small smile that looked forced, making her sigh, "if it doesn't get better, you could learn to fight with one hand."

  
Mitoshu gave a small laugh, shaking his head, "I'm too old to learn a new way of fighting, but thank you anyway, Mistress."

  
He and Max stood before he gave her a bow and headed back to the tent. Max sighed and rubbed the back of her head, shaking it as she turned to look at the other men, her eyes scanning over them as if searching for something before she moved forward. She stepped to the front of the group, raising her hand to stop their practice.

  
"Alright you idiots!" she started, making Chosokabe smile as he stood with his hands in his pockets, "I want to know who still has an injury that hurts." The men glanced at one another, looking more nervous than they should have. She snorted and folded her arms over her chest before glancing at Chosokabe. She smiled and motioned him over, making him blink for a moment before sighing and strolling toward her.

  
He stepped up next to her and gave her a grin as he leaned down, "yes, little siren?"

  
She gave him a glare before turning back to her men, placing a hand on Chosokabe's arm, "this is my friend, Chosokabe Motochika, Ogre of the Western Sea," she started, making him sigh internally. He could already feel her leading up to something he wasn't sure he was going to like. She turned fully toward the men, folding her arms over her chest as she glared at them, "if none of you confess to having a injury that still hurts while you train, then I'll just have my friend here beat the confession out of you."

  
Chosokabe glanced at her before smirking, bringing his fists up and cracking his knuckles, "my pleasure," he said, pausing for a second before leaning toward her, "but only if I get a kiss."

  
Max blinked, surprised by the sudden offer before turning to glare up at him, "seriously?"

  
_There's that lightening flash_ , he thought as he leaned a little closer to her, "just one, teeny, tiny kiss," he said, grinning at her as he turned his head slightly, "you can even do it on my cheek on my bad side."

  
Max snorted, leaning back slightly as she glared at him, "Cho, your whole body is your bad side," she growled, making him chuckle as he looked at her with that sparkling blue eye.

  
"Come on," he said, his voice a hiss, "one peck on the cheek and I'll do whatever you want."

  
She glared at him, chewing on the inside of her cheek while thinking before letting out a huff of air. He grinned wider, knowing that she was about to agree before she did.

  
"Fine," she snapped, putting her finger in his face. If it was anyone else, he would have broken it, "but if you try anything, Cho, I'll kick your ass, again."

  
He clicked his tongue before rolling his eye, "alright, alright. Keep your crown on," he growled, turning his head to the side.

  
She took a deep breath, her mind wondering if he would actually keep his head turned or not. She leaned forward, mentally preparing incase he did turn his head the last second until her lips met his cheek. She was so stunned by the lack of him being conniving, that she forgot to pull away until he cleared his throat. She blinked, quickly stepping away with her cheeks heating up and she hugged herself. She knew she was turning red if she wasn't already, and lowered her eyes to the ground. _Stupid, stupid, stupid_ , she scoulded herself mentally.

  
He couldn't help but smile as he watched her avoid looking at anyone. Her cheeks were red, like she had been out in the sun too long, making him chuckle. She hadn't expected him to actually let her kiss his cheek, he almost didn't, but the way she was acting and the look on her face was worth it to him. He turned to her men and blinked. They were watching her with smiles and chuckles as they nudged one another, like there was some big joke amoung them that he wasn't privvy to. He clicked his tongue, deciding to take the lead while she sorted out her emotions.

  
"Alright! Listen here you sons-a-bitches!" he roared, bringing the smiles and chuckles to a stop as they all looked at him, "you heard what Max said! If I don't get some honest answers, I get to beat them out of you," he slapped his fist into his hand in front of his chest, giving them all a malicious grin, "right?"

  
They nodded vigorously as all but three of them raised their hands. Max gave a heavy, tired sigh and shook her head, Chosokabe's voice having brought her back to the problem at hand. She moved forward, glaring at them as Chosokabe stuffed his hands into his pockets, frowning at them.

  
"They're loyal, but they're stupid," he said, getting a nod from the woman.

  
"Tell me about it," she mumbled, pointing toward the tents, "alright you morons! Get to steppin'!" they hesitated, not really sure about the termology before she growled, "FUCKING MARCH!"

  
They tripped over themselves, rushing to get to the tent before they made her any more angry. She huffed and shook her head, dragging her fingers through her hair before frowning as most of it fell from her fingers 3/4 the way down. She pulled her hair around and shook her head, "I'm gunna need to fix this," she mumbled, walking toward the tent.

  
"The men or your hair?" he asked, falling into step beside her.

  
She sighed, "my hair," she said, sounding a little sad about it, "Oda wouldn't let go during the battle, so, instead of being drug around by my hair, I screamed for it to be cut," she frowned, "I didn't realize he didn't have ahold of all my hair."

  
"I see," Chosokabe said, holding the tent flap aside for her to enter.

  
She went to the table by the entrance and rifled through the box she used when treating wounds. She stepped away and held up a small object that looked like cross blades that slid together, "these are scissors," she explained, getting a frown from the tall man.

  
"What the hell you want me to do with these?" he asked, giving her a raised eyebrow.

  
She rolled her eyes, "I want you to fix my hair," she explained, putting the scissors in his hand, "make the ends of my hair even."

  
He frowned, giving her back the scissors, "these puny things wouldn't cut a blade of grass," he growled, pulling a small knife from behind his back.

  
She narrowed her eyes at the blade before shaking her head, "these will hurt less," she said, holding them out to him.

  
"Come on, little siren," he growled, leaning forward slightly with a dark glint in his eye, "don't you trust me?"

  
She snorted, "not really, but that point is moot when it comes to pain," she said, poking him in the chest, "I don't want to feel any."

  
They stared at one another for a moment before he sighed, gritting his teeth and rubbing the back of his head before putting the small blade away, "fine," he growled, holding his hand out for the scissors, "whatever the Siren wants."

  
She watched him for a moment before showing him how to use them, "I don't want you to cut yourself or me," she mumbled, shoving the small cross blades into his hand.   
"Like I could cut anything with these pethetic excuses for blades," he growled, lifting the scissors to examine.

  
She turned away walking to one of the beds before sitting on it with her back to him, "if you're going to cut my hair, you're going to have to be at about the same height as me."

He grunted, walking around the bed to sit next to her. She frowned, giving him a glare as she opened her mouth to say something before giving a yelp as he picked her up, putting her on his knees. She blinked a few times before turning to glare at him, "how is sitting on your lap going to help either of us?" she growled.

  
He gave her a slow, unamused blink, waiting for her to realize that they were practically eye to eye. He watched the recognition slid into her emerald gaze before she blinked, turning around quickly before he saw her cheeks turn pink. He smirked, taking note of her embarrassment before lifting a few strands of her hair in his hand, watching the golds, browns and reds sparkle at him in the lantern light. He smiled at the colors, not realizing that there were so many that made up that mane of fire.

  
"You're not being creepy and sniffing my hair or something again, are you?" she asked, bringing his eye up to her as she glanced over her shoulder at him.

  
He smirked, spinning the scissors around his finger before placing several strands of hair between the blades. He felt her tense up in anticipation before he brought the blades of the scissors together, cutting the strands of hair. He clicked his tongue at her, lifting a larger hunk of hair from her back, "you're acting like you don't trust me to cut a little hair," he grumbled, snipping the hair.

  
She took a deep breath, "it's a girl thing," she mumbled, glancing at the men now lazing about the tent. She frowned at the grins and winks she was getting before giving a sigh, "alright, Maggots," she growled, leaning forward slightly only to have Chosokabe tug gently on her hair. She clicked her tongue at him, only to get a chuckle before turning back to the men, "I wouldn't mind you doing simple training, like walking around the camp several times. Get your stamina up so when you're completely healed, you can practice longer and more fervently."

  
The men glanced at one another before a voice in the back called out, "you just want to be alone with your honey bunny!" he said before a round of kissing sounds from some of the other men before they laughed.

  
Chosokabe stopped mid-cut, looking up over Max's shoulder toward where the voice had come from, "who the hell said that?" he growled, his voice loud as he lowered the scissors to the bed beside him.

  
Max winced at his voice, putting her finger in her ear before glancing over her shoulder to glare at him, "I would like to hear today, Cho," she said, looking back toward the back of the tent, "and Shukunoba? Shut the fuck up!"

  
That only got another round of laughs before Chosokabe clicked his tongue and went back to clipping her hair. "Mangy dogs," he mumbled under his breath, making Max glance over her shoulder at him.

  
She blinked at the pink in his cheeks before turning to face forward, smiling to herself. _So, even the great Chosokabe gets embarrassed_ , she thought, thinking of all the ways she could use it before lifting her chin toward the men. "You heard me. Get to steppin'!" she hollered, nodding toward the exit, "move it!"

  
The men filed out, giving her winks and making kissy faces at her as they went. She snorted and shook her head, looking at the bed in front of her, "sorry about them. I've gotta get use to this whole, leading thing," she said, feeling him clip more of her hair. She was actually starting to relax.

  
"You kidding? You have their respect, which is more than most leaders have," he said, smiling to himself as he rolled a strand of hair between his fingers, "besides, my boys would do and say the same things, except they would try to push me into asking for your hand in marriage."

  
Max gave a sharp laugh, making him look up at the back of her head as she covered her mouth. She glanced over her shoulder at him with apologetic eyes that seemed to laugh anyway, "sorry," she said, grinning dispite the apology. "I wasn't expecting that. It just kind of shocked me," she admitted, looking back at the bed in front of her as he went back to clipping her hair, "I mean, not that you're not a catch, but you don't seem like the settling type."

  
"Nope," he said, placing the last bit of hair between the blades, "this Ogre likes his freedom."

  
Max sighed and shook her head as he clipped the last bit of hair, "why do men always think that marriage is like a jail sentence?" she thought aloud as she lowered her eyes to the tan line where her engagement ring use to be.

  
He blinked at her question, not really knowing if she wanted an actual answer or if she was just musing aloud. Either way, her posture seemed sad. He sat up more, leaning forward to place his chin on her shoulder, glancing down at what she was doing in her lap. She was squeezing and rubbing her left ring finger, where a strange tan line was, like she was remembering something that she wanted to forget. Her beautiful green eyes sparkled with unshed tears as he looked at her before she took a breath and stood, making his lap feel cold and empty.

  
She turned, giving him a smile that he knew was forced, but wasn't going to push it, "thanks for the hair cut," she said, leaning forward and planting a kiss on his right cheek.

  
He blinked, surprised at the sudden show of affection and the tingle that her lips left, "what was that for?" he asked, giving her a half smile.

  
She shrugged as she stood straight, holding her hand out for the scissors, "for being a gentleman when I thought for sure you would take advantage of the situation," she said, as he set the scissors in her hand.

  
He let his fingers slid over her hand, leaving a trail of warmth before her fingers curled around the scissors, "there's a time to take advantage and there's a time to offer trust," he said, watching her walk around the bed.

  
She blinked at that as she put the scissors away, thinking about the way the men in her time acted before heaving a sigh.

  
"I don't know what the men in your time period are like, but here," he stood, looking at her fully with his left hand in his pocket and his right hand hanging loose, "when a man says he's going to do something, he does it," he started to move around the bed toward her, making her pulse jump about twenty beats per minute higher, "when he makes a promise, he keeps it," he stood in front of her now, staring at her with fire in that single bright blue eye, "and," he leaned forward, putting their bodies so close, they could feel the heat from one another. She swallowed the thick saliva and resisted the urge to lick her lips as his hand slapped the table top, blocking her between him and the table. She thought for sure her heart would explode, "when he wants something, he goes after it." His voice was velvety, the words sliding over her like a warm blanket. She licked her lips then, bringing his eye down to watch before it slid up to look her in the eyes. There was a strange hunger there, like he wanted to take her and kiss her then and there and she...she wanted him to. She felt like she ached for him, her body wanting to press against his as they kissed like it was their last. He leaned a little closer, his lips a few inches from hers as he gave her a seductive grin, "what do you want, Maxine?" he asked, his deep voice soft, turning her name into something naughty. She could almost feel herself start to tremble for what she wanted. What she needed. "Just tell me," he whispered against her lips, making them quiver, "or, I could guess." He leaned closer, a few millimeters away from their lips touching when the tent flap flew open, bringing with it a growl of frustration from Chosokabe as he stood straight and glared at Kojuro. She felt like her legs were about to give out, the desire she felt a few seconds ago gone in an instant, leaving her breathless and weak.

  
"The war council is convening," he said, his dark eyes sliding to her as she leaned back against the table with her hands holding her up. She was looking down at the ground, trying to hide the embarrassment on her face and failing, "they are waiting on you."

  
Max took a deep breath, composing herself before looking up at Kojuro, "I'll be there in a minute," she said, turning back to the first aid kit, "I gotta check on something real quick."

  
Chosokabe glanced at her, giving her a raised eyebrow before smirking and walking past Kojuro, like nothing had almost happened. Kojuro watched the war lord leave before looking at Max. "You shouldn't get involved with him," he said, making her stop what she was doing, the comment surprising her.

  
She blinked at the kit before standing straight, looking at the cloth of the tent, "I didn't plan on getting involved with anyone, Kojuro," she said, glad that her voice was steady before she turned and looked at him with annoyed eyes, "I didn't even want to be a leader of this group of misfits, but here I am." She leaned back on one leg and folded her arms over her chest before looking at Kojuro with narrow eyes, "for curiosity's sake, why shouldn't I? And don't say 'because he's dangerous' cause that's just over used."

  
Kojuro watched her for a moment, his eyes blinking before he took a couple of steps toward her, closing the gap between them. He looked down at her with his right hand resting on the hilt of his blades as she stood, watching and waiting for his answer. "Getting involved with a man like Chosokabe Motochika will only cause you pain and heartbreak," he said, his voice a little angry.

  
She snorted, "that's only the second most used line in all the movies and books," she sighed, holding up two fingers before standing straight and putting her finger against his chest, "I appreciate the concern, Kojuro, but I'll get involved with whoever I want," she said, walking around him and heading for the exit.

  
"What will you do when you get to go home?" he said, bringing her to a stop just before the exit, "you said it yourself. Do you really want to leave the man you love behind when you return to your own time? Are you that selfish?"

  
She lowered her eyes to the ground, her mind going over what he said before licking her lips and closing her eyes. Kojuro was right. Wasn't that the same thing she was saying about leading the men? She took a deep, shuddering breath before slowly opening her eyes, feeling her heart already starting to break over a love that hadn't happened. She put her hand to her chest to try to stop it.

  
Kojuro moved toward her, placing his hand gently on her shoulder, "I wouldn't say anything about it, if the situation was different. I just want you to know that," he said, his voice gentle, "but, given the circumstances, I believe it best to speak up now before things progress farther between you and whomever you fall in love with."

  
Max blinked at that before turning to give him confused eyes, "what are you talking about?" she asked, actually confused.

  
Kojuro sighed, glancing away as he rubbed the back of his head, "well, Sarutobi and I were talking and he mentioned something about you and the Young Cub, Yukimura," he said, looking at her before his eyes went wide at the look of pure fury on her face.

  
"Imma fucking kill him!" she snarled, marching through the exit and past the tents. Kojuro followed, moving quickly to catch up to her as she glared daggers forward.

  
"Yukimura isn't the only one you've captured the attention of, Lady Max," he said, making her shoot a glare at him.

  
"You already said your piece, Kojuro, and I'll try to keep myself in check around Cho, even though it was him that advanced on me, but whatever," she growled, waving her hands around before mumbled, "fucking Edo era. Everything's the woman's fault."

  
Kojuro couldn't help but smile before taking her arm and pulling her to a stop, "I wasn't talking about the Ogre of the Western Sea," he said, getting another confused blink from the woman before she frowned at him.

  
"You know, I wish you men from the past would just say what you're going to say instead of dancing around the topic until I step on it and hurt myself," she growled, jerking her arm from his grasp. She was really starting to get tired of the ways of the past. Then again, the ways of her time weren't much better. "so, speak. Even in my time people tip-toe around things so they don't hurt one another's feelings. You could, at least, give me that bit of respect."

  
Kojuro watched her for a moment, before he smiled, making her frown more. _I think I understand why you like her_ , He thought before standing straight, "my Lord Masamune Date, One-eyed dragon of Ouushu," he paused, "seems to have taken a liking to you, Lady Fallen Star."

  
Max blinked at him, her eyes going wide for a moment before she looked down, seeming to try to understand what he had just said. She opened her mouth to say something before closing it again. What was she supposed to say to something like that? Thank you? She swallowed, folding her arms over her chest before chewing on her upper lip.

  
"You seem surprised, Lady Max," Kojuro said, giving her a small smile.

  
"Well," she said, clearing her throat before sighing, "I don't really know what to say to that. I mean," she paused and shook her head, "I...it sort of feels like a rumor that's going around so I don't know how to process it, I guess."

  
Kojuro gave a nod, "I understand," he said, putting his hand gently on her shoulder, "perhaps a little time to think about everything I've said will do you some good, but right now, you are needed in the war tent."

  
She sighed and gave him a glare, "you just told me that Masamune has a crush on me and expect me to walk in there and act like you didn't say a fucking thing?" she growled, slapping his hand away.

  
He gave a short nod, "yes."

  
She snorted before turning and heading for the war tent, "next you're going to tell me that you and Sasuke have a crush on me," she grumbled before Kojuro cleared his throat, making her stop and blink at him, "fucking serious? Which one?"

  
Kojuro didn't look at her before motioning toward the tent, "they will not wait much longer, Lady Max."

  
"Bull shit they won't. You just said that they needed me there," she said, poking him in the chest, "and I want answers or I'm not going anywhere."

  
Kojuro sighed, "fine. I may have...taken a liking...to you too," he mumbled, looking away with his cheeks slightly pink before looking at her, "but that does not mean..." he paused at her grin.

  
"Now, I'm going to mess with you so hard core that you'll stop liking me as a person," she said, flicking the end of his nose before stepping back, "what about Sasuke? You didn't answer me about his feelings about me."

  
"It's not my place to say," Kojuro said, turning to walk to the tent.

  
Max snorted, "sure, but you're willing to spill on everyone else. Is it cause Sasuke has some huge secret about you that he can tell everyone?" she grinned, bouncing up and down as she walked beside him, "or, maybe you're scared he'd kill you if you said anything. Ooo! How about you have some secret pack to protect each other's secrets and the rule to breaking that pack is the other person gets to stone you to death."

  
Kojuro sighed and gave her an amused smile as he motioned her into the tent, "you have some strange ideas about Sarutobi and I," he said, getting a grin from the woman as she stopped in front of him, halfway in the tent.

  
"I got it!" she cried, lifting her finger in the air before pointing at him, "you and Sasuke had some sort of love interest with one another that bonded you two, but you can't reveal your love for one another without risking your own reputations."

  
Kojuro's face became one of shock and embarrassment before he leaned forward, looking a little agitated, "what kind of man do you take me for? There is no such thing between myself and Sarutobi, I can assure you!" he almost yelled.

  
She laughed, smacking him on the chest with her knuckles, "geez, Koju. Lighten up or people might start thinking that it was true," she said with a grin before disappearing into the tent.

  
Kojuro gave a great sigh of annoyance, half afraid to enter the tent, knowing that Masamune would pester him about what Max had said, whether it was true or not. He took a deep breath, knowing that he had to sit in on the council as Lord Masamune's Right Eye, and stepped through the tent flap. His eyes moved to Masamune, who was giving him a grin as he moved to sit beside his lord.

  
"Well," Masamune said, making him almost wince at the next part of the comment, "I'm glad Sasuke didn't keep you from us, Kojuro."

  
He closed his eyes, wishing he was somewhere else before opening them and giving Max a glare, "there was no such thing of the like that happened," he said, glad that his voice was emotionless.

  
Masamune laughed, slapping Kojuro on the back, "Max is right, Kojuro. You need to lighten up a little," he said, giving the man a smile before turning his attention toward Shingen and Kenshin, who were sitting at the ends of the group.


	11. Pleasant Distraction

 

"Despite our best efforts, it seems that the Demon King is still at large," Shingen said, making Max frown. She almost felt like he was blaming her for Oda living through the battle.

  
"We are not blaming you, Maxine Star," Kenshin said, as if reading her mind.

  
She glanced at him, before taking a breath, "that doesn't stop me from feeling bad about it," she said, folding her arms over her chest as she sat cross legged.

  
"Don't worry about it, Kitten," Masamune said, giving her an excited grin, "it just means we have a better chance of preparing and a bigger fight to win."

  
Chosokabe agreed, showing his eagerness as well.

  
"Be that as it may," Kenshin said, his voice soft but firm, "this also means that Oda is preparing for a bigger battle as well."

  
"Then we strike him now while his forces are weak," Yukimura said, leaning forward slightly, "your lordship, if we send for more of our warriors, we will have enough to take Oda down once and for all."

  
"What about the men that are still injured?" Max asked, making them look at her, "I know that we can't afford to wait for everyone to be fully healed up, but going into battle now with so many injured is pure suicide."

  
"I agree," Shingen said, his massive arms folded over his chest.

  
"As do I," Kenshin chimed in, "I have seen those that are injured, as well as those that are not. The injured out number the uninjured two to one."

  
"We cannot fight a war with injured men," Shingen's voice was loud and strong, making Yukimura frown.

  
"But, your lordship. Lord Kenshin. With the forces you brought with you..." Motonari cut him off.

  
"There are not enough to battle," he said, making Max frown. Just his voice made her angry.

  
_Why the fuck is he still here?_ she growled in her head before taking a deep breath to calm herself. Toshi's weak, smiling face flashed through her mind, making her want to get up and punch the plant guy in the face. She blinked, feeling something crawling up her back before sitting on her shoulder. She blinked at the little monkey and smiled, glancing past him to Keiji as he grinned at her. _Thanks Yumekichi_ , she thought at the monkey as she scratched his belly with her finger. She half wondered if the little monkey felt her getting angry and upset and wanted to make her feel better. It wouldn't have surprised her if that were true.

  
Keiji watched her tickle Yumekichi's belly, making his friend laugh and her smile. He didn't know what Yumekichi was doing when he jumped down from Keiji's shoulder until he saw the woman's fingernails biting into her arms, like she was trying to keep her temper as she glared death at Motonari. He remembered what she had said about Motonari and what he had done and couldn't help but hate the man himself. She was right when she called him a monster. He didn't even seem to regret shooting that injured man. Yumekichi jumped onto her head, making her laugh aloud, bringing everyone's attention to her and stopping the conversation of war. Keiji glanced around, watching as the others watched her, almost like she was a strange amusement, making them smile and look at her with soft eyes. Even Kojuro, who looked angrily at her earlier, gave her a gentle smile as she played with Yumekichi. She seemed to have forgotten that they were about to go to war and, for a few moments anyway, so did everyone else. He smiled at that, thinking about the prophecy of the fallen star. The Fallen Star will unite all of the country, it had said. She was strange, from a completely different world than the one they lived in now, but she was strong in her own right. She smiled and laughed when it wasn't appropriate, maybe, but that helped everyone get through the days. _She will unite the country through love_ , Keiji thought, smiling as she seemed to realized that the conversation had stopped.

  
She blinked at everyone, feeling her cheeks start to heat up as she turned her hand, palm up, holding the little monkey before lowering him to her lap, "sorry," she mumbled, looking down at Yumekichi as he hugged her fingers. She smiled, lifting him up and giving the little monkey a kiss, making him squeak in embarrassment, "thank you Yumekichi," she whispered before he darted back to Keiji and hid under his chest covering.

  
Keiji laughed, "you should be happy you made a girl laugh and kiss you, Yumekichi," he said, grinning into his shirt at the little monkey.

  
"Hey, why does the monkey get a kiss?" Sasuke's voice from behind her made her yelp and tumble forward while she turned, making him laugh.

  
She glared at him before grabbing the pillow she was sitting on and threw it at him, "fucker!" she snarled as he caught it, laughing before dropping it back into place.

  
"About time someone saw you for who you truely are, Sasuke," a woman with two long strands of blonde hair said as she appeared beside Sasuke, frowning at him.

  
Sasuke sighed, "I only sneak up on her because it scares her," he said, giving Max a grin as she moved back to sit.

  
Max snorted, "enjoy it while you can, because when I learn how to use a sword, I'm gunna fuck you up," she said, folding her arms over her chest as she sat straight with her nose in the air and her eyes closed.

  
"I look forward to it," Sasuke's voice was right against her ear, hot and dark, like a promise of something naughty in the night.

  
She turned her head to glare at him as he walked toward Shingen and Kenshin, "fucker," she mumbled, getting a chuckle from Chosokabe and Masamune while the others smiled.

  
"What news do you bring us, Sasuke?" Shingen asked, leaning forward as Sasuke and the woman knelt in front of the two older war lords.

  
"My lord, it seems that Oda's troops are training for battle and nothing else," he said, keeping his eyes closed as he spoke.

  
"He has even pulled back some of his army from the neighboring provences to strengthen his forces in the Owari provence," she said, keeping her eyes to the ground as well.   
Max listened, not sure what to make of Oda's maneuvers.

  
"What's going on in the Owari provence?" Yukimura asked, leaning forward slightly.

  
"We are not sure," Sasuke said, looking up at him, "we haven't been able to penetrate through his defenses yet."

  
Max looked at the ground, thinking that the defenses must be strong if even ninjas can't get through.

  
"What does he expect to accomplish in pulling some of his forces back?" Shingen wondered aloud, his eyes narrowed in thought.

  
"Perhaps it has to do with our Fallen Star?" Kenshin's voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

  
"Do what now?" she asked, blinking at him.

  
"Ahh. I see," Shingen said, as if he understood completely what Kenshin was talking about, "then he is afraid."

  
"Or biding his time," Kenshin said, glancing at his rival, "if this is the case, then we should bolster our defenses as well."

  
"Protect the Fallen Star," Shingen said, looking at Kenshin as well, both holding an understanding of whatever plan they were coming up with.

  
Max blinked, suddenly feeling like they were talking over her head, "Hello! I'm right here!" she said, waving her hands wildly. They looked at her then. "Hate to say it, but I don't want to be looked after every second of every day. That's stupid, rediculas and eventually, it's going to be tiring," she pointed out, getting a glare from the woman as she turned toward Max.

  
"You will not speak to Lord Kenshin that way," she growled, standing with a Kunai in her hand, "hold your tongue!"

  
Max blinked, feeling herself get angry as she stood herself, "I will not! Not when it's MY fucking life that's being decided for!" she growled, glaring back at the woman, "I won't just lay the fuck down and let a bunch of men who don't know a fucking thing about me decide what I should and should not do or what will or will not be done when it comes to me and my life!" she was moving toward the woman, her words spurring her on, "and if you think for one fucking second that I should, you might as well kill me right now, because I will NOT play damsel in destress for anyone!"

  
They glared at one another for a moment, each daring the other to make the first move.

  
Kenshin had stood and lay his hand gently on the woman's shoulder, making her blink at him as he turned her, gently taking the kunai from her hand and tossing it away.

  
"Lord Kenshin," she gasped as he took both her hands in his, holding them tenderly.

  
"Stay your hand on this," he said, his voice gentle and almost soothing as he brought one of his hands up and stroked a strand of hair away from her face, "I would not want you to sully an eventual friendship between the two of you in a time such as this," he tucked the hair behind her ear as her eyes became filled with stars, transfixed on him, "your devotion to me should not be such to keep my most beautiful blade from having a female friend."

  
The woman gave a small cry, like she just had an orgasm, making Max take a few steps back.

  
She blinked between the two before giving Masamune a worried look, "what the fuck just happened?" she asked, moving back as the woman composed herself and Kenshin stepped toward her, "dude, don't even try it."

  
He paused, giving her confused eyes before smiling, "I understand your hesitation to be protected and guarded like a beautiful treasure," he said, making her frown and narrow her eyes at him, "but it is imperative that the Nobunaga does not take you prisoner. You are the one that will decide the fate of this war, after all."

  
Max sighed, "no pressure though," she mumbled, folding her arms over her chest before shaking her head, "I was alright with the boys playing Rashambo to guard me or whatever, but to have an armed guard escort everywhere I go is too much."

  
Kenshin smiled and gave her a graceful bow, "I understand," he said, standing straight before going back to his seat.

  
"Then, perhaps it shall remain as such," Shingen said, his arms folded in front of him again, "count me amoung the ones who are to guard and protect you."

  
"I as well," Kenshin added, making Max frown at him.

  
"After what just happened? No," she said, making Masamune chuckle.

  
"What's wrong, Kitten? Afraid of a little romance?" he said, giving her glare a grin.

  
She turned toward him, pointing at Kenshin and the woman, "I don't know what the fuck that was but I don't want any part of it," she growled, folding her arms over her chest in a huff, "romance my fucking ass."

  
Masamune stood, making her blink as he slowly walked toward her, "challenge accepted then," he said, an evil glint in his eye.

  
Max took a few steps back, holding her hand out to try to ward him off, "no! No, no, no! Bad blue dragon!" she said, yelping as he took hold of her wrist and jerked her into his chest.

  
He held her against the front of his body, his arm wrapped tight around her back as his face softened. His royal blue eye was gentle as he brushed his knuckles against her cheek and jawline. She was mesmorized, frozen by the rapid beating of her heart as she stopped fighting. She didn't realize that he looked so...handsome. They were usually too busy teasing and throwing insults at one another, she didn't notice. She swallowed as he smiled at her, one of those smiles that seems to reach out and touch every part of your being, promising dark deviant things that will make you ache and beg for more. She blinked, Kojuro's words coming back to her before she gave him her own smile.  
"So, you do have a crush on me," she said, making him blink and move back in surprise. She couldn't help but grin as he turned to glare at Kojuro.

  
"Kojuro, what the hell have you been telling her?" he growled, narrowing his eye at his second in command.

  
"I don't know what you're talking about, my lord. I haven't told her anything," Kojuro said, keeping his eyes closed and his body straight.

  
"Bull shit," Masamune snapped, drawing one of his swords, "why would you go and tell her that I liked her?"

  
Kojuro remained sitting, his face and posture emotionless, "was I not supposed to, my lord?"

  
Masamune moved forward, bringing the blade up, "no, you weren't!" he growled, bringing the blade down.

  
Max blinked, not sure what to do a second before Kojuro's sword was out and up, defending him from Masamune's swing. She let out a breath of relief before rubbing the back of her head, thinking that she should have kept her mouth shut as the two parried one another's blows.

  
"See what you did?" Sasuke grumbled beside her, making her frown at him, "now we're going to need to put up a new tent and this one took forever to get put up."

  
Max snorted, "I didn't do shit except confirm what I was wondering," she said, folding her arms over her chest, "besides, I don't know what the hell you're complaining about. You probably won't be here to set up the tent anyway."

  
He clicked his tongue at her before sighing, "no, I guess not."

  
She stuck her tongue out at him before turning back to watch the two slowly start to end the fight. A hand on her shoulder brought her attention to Motonari, making her frown at the man. "What the fuck do you want?" she hissed, her voice full of hate and venom.

  
"I would still like a word with you, Fallen Star," he said, his voice monotone.

  
The sound of metal on metal stopped, making the tent quiet as she turned to glare at him, "what's my name?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

  
He watched her for a moment before he smiled, sending a shiver down her spine, "Maxine Star," he said, lowering his face slightly to look at her from under the helmet hat he wore, "would you speak with me now?"

  
She narrowed her eyes at him before glancing around his person, like she was searching for something, "where's the chocolates?" she asked, getting a blink from the warlord.  
"I beg your pardon?" he asked, sounding offended and shocked.

  
"I told you Moto-nono, that I wouldn't talk to you until, one, you learned my name, two, you apologized and three you got me a box of chocolates," she said, holding her hands out at her sides, "I don't see any chocolates."

  
He frowned at her as took an intimidating step toward her, making her swallow, but she stayed put, staring right back at the man she despised. His eyes moved up, looking at someone behind her before falling back to her. There was something in his eyes that made her blood run cold, like an idea just popped into his head, making her wish she wasn't there. She stepped back, gently bumping into Sasuke. Just the feel of him at her back made her breathe a little easier as she faced the crazy man in front of her.   
He stood straight, "very well," his voice was it's usual emotionless ire, "what type of chocolates would you like?"

  
She smiled at him, but it was cold and didn't reach her eyes, "Godiva," she said, making him blink at her.

  
"I have never heard of such a brand," he said, frowning at her.

  
She grinned now, "of course not, because Godiva won't be invented until 1926," she paused, "in Belguim."

  
Motonari glared at her, knowing now that he would never get an audience with the Fallen Star if he went by her rules. He closed his eyes, composing himself before looking at her with her smug smile. His eyes glanced at the bandage under the tear in her shirt before going back to her face, "very well," he said, moving past her and the ninja from Kai, "excuse me, then." He left the tent, knowing now that he would have to come up with his own plan to speak with the woman, even if it meant kidnapping her. _She will listen to my purposal_ , he thought as he stalked back to his tent.

  
She squeezed her arms with her fingers, her smile finally falling away as she lowered her eyes to the ground.

  
"Why would you not just say any chocolates would do?" the woman asked, her eyes blinking at Max.

  
Max shook her head, "he killed an injured man that couldn't defend himself because I said no," she said, looking up at the woman with almost fearful eyes, "and there's something about him that I don't want to be anywhere near alone." She stifled a shiver before taking a deep breath and dropping her arms, "so, meeting adjourned then?" She didn't wait for them to say before turning and walking out of the tent. She needed to get out and go. She didn't know where but being in that tent made it hard to breathe. 


	12. ...I'm scared...

 

She took several deep breaths, swallowing the fear as she walked, thinking about Oda and what he was trying to do. Thinking about Motonari and his lack of humanity. Thinking about the men she now lead and how she didn't know a damn thing about strategy or fighting. Thinking about how Oda would have been defeated if it wasn't for her. She stopped walking then, finding herself at Toshi's grave once again. She took a deep breath, her mind clouded with all her emotions and thoughts and memories as she knelt at his grave. She blinked as the tears started to flow. She felt so overwhelmed with everything that was going on. She was scared of the up coming battle. Scared that she would die. Scared that everyone would die. Scared that she would never be able to go home. Scared of Motonari and what he intended. Scared of Oda and his intentions. She wrapped her arms around herself as she lowered her chin to her chest. She felt helpless and heavy. The weight of the entire country rested on her shoulders and she was scared to death of letting everyone down. Her fingers squeezed her arms as she sobbed, gritting her teeth against the weight that was crushing her. She was just one person and they wanted her to help take the country from Oda, the only person she knew that scared her so badly she was afraid to sleep. She felt alone and helpless and cold. She sobbed, bending over her legs like she was in pain, as she closed her eyes tight. _Why me?_ she thought, thinking about her friends from her time, _Jesse would have been a better fit for this, not me._ She started to tremble and shake, her body finally releasing the tension and fear she had been holding in since she had arrived in this time period. "I can't do this," she whispered between sobs, feeling utterly alone.

  
A gentle hand on her back causes Max to inhale sharply. She had forgotten that she was in the middle of a clearing and could be seen, even though she was trying to make herself as small as possible. She sniffled and glanced at the man's knee, swallowing the thick saliva that had built up on her tongue while her body continued to shake and her tears continued to flow.

  
"You can," Chosokabe's voice was gentle, trying to coax her out of her depressed state. He was on his way back to his ship when one of her men ran up to him. The boy with the missing eye. He had told him that Max was in pain and needed help so he followed the boy at a run, worried that one of Oda's men had taken her. When he came to the clearing where half the camp was watching her curled up in pain, he couldn't help but frown. Nobody seemed to have the guts to see if she was alright. He had yelled at them to go back to what they were doing if they weren't going to do anything for her, but she didn't seem to hear his loud orders. She was shaking, even under his hand and her skin felt cold through the strange clothing she wore. She didn't look at him, the sobs still jerking her body as she held herself. He didn't have to see her face to know that she was terrified as he knelt down beside her.

"Maxine, come here," he said, keeping his voice soft and gentle as he held his arms out to her. She sniffled, shaking as she slowly turned her face to look at him. She looked worn and lonely, curled up like that with those tears streaking her cheeks. He wanted to just scoop her up and protect her like a precious treasure but knew that she would only hate him for it. She had said it in the tent. She didn't want to be the damsel in distress, but those tears and that fear in her eyes made it damned hard not to treat her like it. She sniffled again, slowly uncurling herself as he waited patiently with his arms out. She crawled into his arms, burying herself in his chest and body while her fingers curled against his pecs and he slid his arms around her. She still shook, still sobbed, but now she was warm and protected. He stroked her hair, gently rocking from side to side, trying to soothe her into calming down.

  
"Come on, little siren," he said against her hair, closing his eye as he turned his face into her auburn locks, "tell me what's wrong so I can fix it."

  
She sniffled, shaking her head as she turned to press her cheek against his chest, "you can't," she said, her voice thick with a sadness that made his heart hurt.

  
"You're not even going to let the Ogre of the Western Sea try?" he asked, sounding offended, as he leaned back slightly, "how am I supposed to prove to these landlubbers that I'm not someone to be messed with?"

  
She sniffled and cracked a smile, despite the depression threatening to crush her.

  
"There's that smile," he sighed, smiling down at her as he stroked her hair, "you should smile just like that for the rest of enternity."

  
She took a deep breath, her smile widening as she leaned away from him slightly, wiping the tears from her eyelashes. She looked up at him with those emerald gems and smiled, "thank you, Chosokabe," she said, looking back down before his fingers caught her chin.

  
He lifted her face back up, lowering his own until their lips touched, making her gasp against his lips. He pulled away, slowly, letting the kiss linger while he smiled at her. She blinked up at him, slightly confused by the sudden show of affection before clearing her throat and looking down again, this time with a blush on her cheeks. He chuckled, feeling proud of himself before he let out a long breath of air through his nose. He leaned slightly to the right, trying to look at her face, "Max, what's wrong?" he asked, wanting to know why she was crying and looked like she was in pain.

  
She snorted, turning to glare at him with those pink cheeks, "you just kissed me you block head," she growled, giving his chest a shove.

  
He chuckled before shaking his head, "I meant before that," he said, his smile disappearing from his face as her anger did from her's.

  
She swallowed and looked down not really knowing what to say, "everybody's counting on me to be this great being that comes in and saves the day and I can't do it," she admitted, she felt her eyes start to get hot again.

  
Chosokabe sighed, moving his position so he was sitting cross legged. He patted his lap, making her frown at him before he chuckled, "have a seat and lay it on me," he said, getting a skeptical glance from the woman. He sighed leaning forward and putting his hands under her thighs, lifting her from the ground, and making her yelp at him. He put her down, strattling his lap as she slapped his shoulder and glared at him. He grinned at her, keeping his hands under her thighs and giving a small squeeze, making her slap his shoulder again.

  
"Fucking Brute," she growled, glaring her anger at him.

  
He chuckled, gently sliding his hands up her backside to rest on her lower back, "I'll show you brute," he growled against her lips, making her breath quicken before he leaned back slightly, getting more glares from the woman. _She really wants me_ , he thought with a smug smile.

  
She clicked her tongue, folding her arms over her chest before turning her face away. He took a deep breath and pulled her against him, closing his eye against the feel of her body wrapped around his. She lay her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes as she breathed in his scent. The smell of the sea, salty and sharp, along with wood and metal. He smelled wild.

  
"Now will you tell me what's bothering you?" he asked, putting his chin against her temple.

  
She took a deep breath and swallowed, "I'm scared," she whispered against his neck, "I'm scared I'm going to die. I'm scared everyone's going to die. I'm scared that I'll let everyone down. I'm scared that I won't be able to go back home," she sniffled, feeling the tears burning her eyes again, "I'm scared of everything here. I have this prophecy that I don't know anything about hanging over my head and it feels like it's crushing me," her hands balled into fists against Chosokabe's chest, shaking slightly, "I can't breathe knowing that I'm being watched and looked upon like I can fix every little problem that ever was because I'm the Fallen Star. I'm just one person," she sobbed, burying her face in his neck, "I feel so helpless and alone and heavy."

  
He slowly breathed out, smiling gently as he hugged her tight, stroking her hair again, "like you said, you're just one person," he said, a laugh in his voice, "I don't know about this prophecy, but I do know that you are a strong person. You're compassionate, caring and kind, but you've also got claws that are ready to come out a scratch anyone to protect your beliefs and the people you care about."

  
She lay against his body, her legs wrapped around his waist with her feet resting on the ground behind him listening while he spoke.

  
"You have determination like a lot of the men here and that will help with this battle more than you know," he said, smiling down at her, "I can't speak for anyone else, but I can say that no matter what, Max, I will have your back. I won't let a little thing like you carry this burden alone."

  
She sniffled, letting out a small breath like a great weight had been taken off her shoulders. She felt better and less alone after talking to Chosokabe about what was bothering her. She smiled as she leaned back, looking into that brilliant blue eye as he smiled back. She leaned forward, planting a gentle kiss on his lips, surprising him before pulling back.

  
"What was that for?" he asked with a half smile.

  
She shrugged, "for being such a sweetheart," she said, giving him a content smile.

  
He clicked his tongue, leaning back on his hand as he rubbed the back of his head, "guess you learned my secret," he said, a teasing glint in his eye, "just don't tell anyone, huh? I have a reputation to keep up as an Ogre and crazy Captain of the Fugaku."

  
She smirked, folding her arms over her chest in defiance, making him grin, "I'm telling everyone!" she exclaimed, trying to get to her feet.

  
He growled, grabbing her hips and jerking her back down into his lap, making her yelp as he put his nose against hers, "like I'm going to let you do that," he growled, getting a snort from the girl as she pushed against his chest.

  
"Let go you fucking Manimal," she growled, getting a purr of intrigue for the one eyed man.

  
"Manimal?" he cooed, making her blink at him, "I think I like that one."

  
She snorted, glaring at him, "if you don't want me to elbow you across that glass jaw of your's, I would let me up," she growled, her voice steady.

  
He gave her a raised eyebrow before his grip tightened on her hips, "glass jaw?" he growled, narrowing that eye at her before getting to his feet and tossing her over his shoulder.

  
She cried out, surprised by the speed and suddenness of it before beating her fists against his back, "Damn it, Cho! Put me down!" she hollered, kicking her legs back and forth to try and get loose, "if you don't put me down right now I'll scream!"

  
"Go ahead, but I'm the one incharge of you today," he said, glancing at her over his shoulder, "so if they hear you and then see me carrying you, they'll just assume that you did something to cause this. Which you did. Now, be a good little siren and quiet down." She growled, bringing her foot up to try to connect with his face. He tilted his head, making her kick herself in the butt before grinning as he shrugged her more onto his shoulder. "Nice try, Siren."

  
She gave a girly shriek before beating against his back and shoulders again, "bully!" she growled, smacking him in the back of the head.

  
He just chuckled as he continued to walk, "guess the dragon man was right, you are like a firework."

  
She sighed, grabbing his jacket to lift herself up enough to sort of look at him, "what the hell's that supposed to mean?"

  
He smiled, his eye taking in the sight of his massive war ship, "you're beautiful to look at but explosive and loud."

  
She snorted, smacking him on the back of the head again before becoming content to just let him carry her, "that's not a compliment, you know," she complained.

  
"But it's true," he said, lowering her to the ground just before the clearing where the plank to get on the ship was, "now, I'm hoping you aren't stupid enough to run off after I put you down."

  
She glared at him before giving his stomach a punch, making him grunt more in surprise than pain, "jackass," she growled, making him chuckle.

  
"Come on, Max," he said, taking a step around her and offering his arm. She blinked at it before glancing up at him like he was crazy, "I can act like a gentleman when I want to. Now, are you going to take it or not?" She licked her lips, thinking about it for a moment before he shrugged and dropped his arm. "Suit yourself," he sighed, starting to walk away, only to have her grab his arm. He stopped, giving her a smug smile as he lifted his arm to escort her.

  
"Jerk," she mumbled, making him chuckle as he escorted her through the trees and out toward his ship. He heard her gasp in awe, making him smile. That was half the reaction he was going for. "Holy crap it's huge," she said, marveling at the sheer size of the ship. She couldn't believe something this big was built in this time period. Her generation thought that they had the most amazing things but this was something even more amazing, given the technology.

  
Chosokabe watched her eyes move over his ship, admiring the floating war machine with wide-eyed wonder. "Have you ever seen a ship before?" he asked, getting a shrug from the woman.

  
"Not in real life," she said, her eyes moving to the crew now hanging over the railings to greet their captain as Chosokabe and Max came to the bottom of the plank.

  
"AHOY CAPTAIN!" they all cheered, waving at him as he lead her onto the plank and up to the ship.

  
"Ahoy you sea dogs!" he called back, giving his men a grin as their attention turned to her.

  
"Aniki, who's your lady friend?" one of the men asked, looking her over.

  
Max gave him a glare, making him smile at her as Chosokabe dropped his arm to his side.

  
"This, my sea faring friends, is Maxine Star or Max for short," he said, motioning toward her, "she's going to be a guest here on the Fugaku so I want you son's a bitches to treat her with the respect a lady like her deserves! Am I clear!"

  
"YES CAPTAIN!" they all said similtaniously.

  
Max gave him a raised eye brow as the men watched her, a little relieved that he left out the part about the prophecy.

  
"Oh yeah," he mumbled, seeming to remember something, "this little lady here is some sort of Fallen Angel or something like that. So she should get extra special treatment." The glint in his eye made her flinch.

  
"The hell you mean 'extra special treatment'?" she asked, her thoughts coming out of her mouth as she glared at him.

  
"Exactly what I said," he said, sitting on a barrel as he grinned at her, "while on my ship you won't have to worry about doing anything for yourself. My boys here will take care of your every need."

  
The men smiled at one another before chuckling and nudging each other.

  
She clicked her tongue and turned, walking the few feet to the plank, "if you think for one fucking second I'm going to lay back and be waited on hand and foot, you've got another fucking thing coming to you buddy," she snarled as she stepped onto the plank and started to walk down it.

  
Chosokabe sighed and shook his head, smiling as he leapt from the deck to land a few feet in front of her, stopping her in her tracks. She blinked at him in surprise before folding her arms over her chest and glaring at him. He stalked up the plank toward her, grinning from ear to ear, "I am the one watching you today, so, as the one in charge of you, you will do as I say," he said, standing over her with a demanding eye, "is that clear, Princess?"

  
She glared back, feeling the men on his ship staring in shock at the two of them. _Well, I guess they'll get a show_ , she thought before dropping her hands and poking Chosokabe in the chest, "look here, Ahab, you may be the boss of this band of sea thugs, but you aren't the boss of me and I won't do a damned thing you tell me to if you're going to demand it like I was a paltry part of your crew," she paused, hearing the gasps from the men behind her, "clear?"

  
Chosokabe watched her for a moment before smirking and standing straight to look at the men behind her, "want to see a woman cuss like a sailor boys?" he called, making her eyes go wide before he lifted her onto his shoulder again and carried her back onto the deck.

  
"Damn it, Cho! Put me the fuck DOWN!" she snarled, beating her fists against his back as his crew laughed, "mother fucker! Put me down before I kick your fucking ass again!"

  
He chuckled under her stomach before leaning over and letting her slide from his shoulder. She growled, punching him in the gut again. This time, he was ready for it and didn't flinch or grunt, but it made his men laugh to see her lash out at him like she did. She really was a spit fire, this woman. 


	13. Dinner On The Fugaku

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the image is from Ikemen sengoku, but it fit the chapter so well and it has most of the characters anyway.

 

She followed Chosokabe around the ship as he showed her all the accessories that adorn the ship. He lit up as he talked about it, smiling with such pride in his vessal that she couldn't help but get excited about it as well. She had never been on an actual ship before and tried her best not to stumble as the water shifted the ship slightly. She failed to maintain her balance, however, and ended up holding onto Chosokabe's arm as he lead her around. She didn't mind, it gave her time to feel the warm, hard muscles under his skin as he moved. He glanced at her, watching as she stared at the giant demon mask under the giant, custom built cannon. Her excitement made him smile as she asked about typical things on the ship, things he never really thought about because they were just second nature. Like, why keep the mast tied up while docked when there was no wind and no storm? Why do you need a cannon that size? Okay, the last one he had simply said because he could have it that size, but she did ask a lot of questions about normal, ship life. He lead her down into the ship, showing her the kitchen area and dining area, explaining that he liked to keep his men fed because well fed men were happy men and happy men fought harder.

  
She sighed at his reasoning before narrowing her eyes at him, "but if they get too full then they'll get sick and then where'll you be?" she asked, getting a snort from Chosokabe.

  
"They wouldn't eat more than they needed," he said, leading her from the dining area.

  
She glanced back, thinking that maybe, to warm up for feeding all the men in camp, maybe she could try cooking for the pirates. She took a breath, leaning forward slightly as they walked to look at Chosokabe, "hey, Cho?" he turned his head slightly to indicated he was listening, "would you mind if I cooked something for your guys? It would give me great practice for cooking for the whole camp."

  
He stopped and turned to look down at her with a narrow eye, "why does it sound like you're going to test your cooking out on my men?" he asked, sounding suspicious.

  
Max smiled, patting him on the arm, "because I am," she said, giving him a grin.

  
He smirked at her before sighing, "fine, I guess I could let you do that," he sighed, starting to lead her back up and out of the ship, "but if any of my men get sick, you're going to have to take care of them."

  
She rolled her eyes, giving his comment a wave, "yeah, yeah, yeah," she grumbled, "it'll be Toshi all over again, except in reverse."

  
He chuckled, standing on the deck of his ship and looking over his crew. He caught a few of them glancing at him and Max before turning away and whispering to one another. He sighed, closing his eye before glancing at the woman, who seemed oblivious to the stares. Either that or she didn't care. His eye moved to the bloodied hole in her shirt where the bandage that was wrapped around her bullet wound shown through. She didn't seem keen to change her shirt either, wearing the attire almost like a proud battle scar. Chosokabe reached out, unintentionally, but by the time he realized he had done it, his fingers were already carressing the freyed ends of the hole. Max blinked, turning her eyes to Chosokabe's fingers as he twirled the freys between his finger and thumb.

  
"You should get a different shirt," he said, making her glance at him.

  
She snorted, giving him a shrug as she turned back to watch the men wrap rope around a couple of bars against the mast, "I don't have anything else to change into," she said, glancing at him with a smile, "if I knew I'd be taking a trip through time, I would have packed half my closet."

  
He chuckled before nodding toward a door set into the ship, "come on. If you don't mind wearing men's clothes, I have a few things you can borrow," he said, leading her into the ship and toward his room.

  
She gave a nod, "I don't mind. I actually prefer men's clothes to womens," she admitted, glancing at the designs on the walls as they walked, "women's clothes are always so tight, like they say, 'these will fit, lets make them a size smaller and say they're this size'."

  
He laughed, "your time has some strange ways," he said, stopping at a large door with a giant depiction of an ornante Ogre warrior on it. He turned the handle, giving the doors a push before leading her into the room. It was massive, which only made since, given the size of the ship itself. A large bed sat atop a small flight of stairs, the Harlequin purple curtains hung loose at the corners of the bed, the golden embroidery sparkling at her like it was made of gold. For all she knew, it was. The bed spread matched the curtains with gold and brilliant blue ornate embroidery, folding down slightly to reveal a black sheet that looked like silk. There was a large table near the wall on the other side of the room with several scrolls and a large map of Japan laying on it. A sextant lay on the map, like it had been randomly set there. A candle abra sat over the map with most of it's candles burnt down to the base. Her eyes moved to the large desk sitting in an alcove of sorts, piled high with books and papers. Chosokabe smiled at the way she was looking around, like she had never seen a bed or desk before. He smiled, letting his arm drop as he went to the wardrobe and pulled out a shirt before frowning at it. He glanced at Max, taking note of how short and small she was before sighing and shaking his head as he replaced the shirt.

  
"I don't think I'm going to have anything that fits you, properly," he said, pulling her out of the dreamlike state she was in.

  
She blinked, looking at him as he shoved the clothing around in the wardrobe, frowning at everything. "Just pick out one you wouldn't mind losing. I'll just cut it up and make it work," she said, giving him a smile as he glanced at her.

  
"Well, in that case," he said, pulling a royal purple shirt that looked like it may be a little too short for Chosokabe. He held it out to her, making her narrow her eyes as she took the shirt and tilted her head to the side. "Something wrong, Siren?" he asked, watching as she shook her head.

  
"Nah," she said, smiling at the shirt, "I was just thinking of what to do with this is all. I'm thinkin' DIY style."

  
He frowned, "what's that?" he asked, wrinkling his eyebrows at the letters.

  
She smiled, "it means, Do It Yourself," she explained, hanging the shirt off the curtain rod around the bed, "you don't have any scissors, do you?" she asked, getting a no in reply, making her sigh, "guess a really sharp knife would do."

  
He lifted a knife from the table that had the map and brought it to her before stepping back and sitting in a chair with his back against the back. He watched as she turned the shirt a few times before doing random slices, making him frown. "Why would you accept a perfectly good shirt if you're going to cut it up?" he asked, getting a glare from the woman.

  
"You'll find out in a minute," she growled, making another slice on the back, "now shut up and let me work."

  
He clicked his tongue as he folded his arms over his chest, watching her cut the hell out of the shirt before doing some strange braiding. He sighed, letting his head fall back against the back of the chair while he slid down in his seat, closing his eye as he did.

  
Max grinned at the work she had done, proud of the many hours she spent looking at DIY shirt designs and methods. She spun the blade around her palm, "thank you internet," she said, turning to look at Chosokabe before blinking at him in surprise. She tilted her head as she walked toward him, leaning over to look at his face from the side, "Chosokabe?" she asked, watching as his eye remained closed with his mouth hanging slightly open. "Cho?" she blinked at him a few times before standing straight and putting her fists on her hips. "Well, how do you like that," she mused aloud before going back to the shirt and taking it from the hanger. She glanced back at Chosokabe as he softly started to snore, making her smile before she pulled her old shirt over her head. She tossed it onto the floor before glancing down at the bandage. It hadn't bled through so she hoped it didn't need changing. She shrugged, purposely drawing out the shrug to stretch her shoulder and see if it still hurt. She winced slightly, making her sigh and shake her head before pulling the new shirt on. She had cut the sleeve so they were almost in a straight up and down line before cutting them into slices, causing the sleeve to fall off her shoulders in a fan like style. The back she had sliced up, tying parts of it to make an intricate braided or woven pattern. She had put smaller cuts on the sides, starting at the bottom of her rib cage and going down to stop just before the end of the shirt. She turned looking at herself in the full length mirror across from where she stood and grinned. _Damn I did good_ , she thought, turning to look at the back and sides. She took a deep breath, turning to look at Chosokabe before sighing. _I wish he was awake to see this_ , she thought, rubbing the back of her head before heading for the door. "I could at least start on dinner," she said, pausing at the door before glancing back at the man asleep in the chair. She thought about staying before snorting and exiting the room. _If he wanted me to stay with him, he should have said something before falling asleep_ , she thought as she walked from the room and down the long hallway, _First, I have to find the kitchen again_.

  
Chosokabe choked as he awoke, coughing and sniffing as he sat up, slouching forward with his arms hanging between his knees. He blinked a few times, his eye slowly moving up to where the woman had been before widening in shock. He stood so fast he knocked the chair over as he rushed for the door, cursing that he hadn't remained vigilant. What if she had been kidnapped while he napped? What if she tripped and fell over board and nobody noticed and she drown? He didn't know if she even could swim let alone how well. What if she went back to the camp without saying anything? Why didn't she wake me up? he asked himself as he burst onto the deck, his eye madly glancing around the deck for Max and her firey mane of hair. He rushed to the side of the ship, desperately searching for her, or bubbles or her body. His stomach did a flip at the thought of her floating face down in the tide. He swallowed the bile that threatened to come up as one of his men approached him.

  
"Aniki, is something wrong?" the man barely got the question out before Chosokabe turned on him.

  
"The woman, where is she?" he asked, grabbing the man by the front of his shirt.

  
The man gave him an apologetic and almost fearful smile as he held his hands up in front of him, "she's in the kitchens making dinner for the crew, Captain," the man said, making Chosokabe's heart slow down enough for him to breathe again, "she said that you told her it was okay and we weren't complaining about it."

  
He took a deep breath and slowly released it, calming himself down before releasing the man, "thank you, Kai," he said, walking toward the door that lead below deck.

  
"It's good that you've finally brought a decent woman on the ship," the man called after him, getting some laughs from the men around him.

  
Chosokabe clicked his tongue, giving them an annoyed wave before disappearing below deck. He walked down the hallway, his feet knowing where he was going until the sound of music hit his ears. He paused, listening to the strange beat before smiling, knowing that it was Max before he even stepped into the doorway. His eye scanned over the back of her shirt, the cuts she had made making a woven pattern down the back that drew the eye. _So that's a DIY_ , he thought as he watched her move around the kitchen, humming to the music while doing a dramatic spin here or there.

  
He folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the door frame, crossing his ankles as he did. She looked happy working in the kitchen, almost at home as she stirred one of the giant pots before moving onto a pile of dough that was sitting on the counter. She had on one of the aprons his crew sometimes used when they cooked, and it was speared with flour and blood from cutting up meat. The corner of Chosokabe's mouth turned up as he smiled at the mess on the front of her. She had tied her long, auburn hair up in a high ponytail that brushed between her shoulder blades, even after the hair cut he had given her. He thought he did a pretty good job since she didn't complain about it and he had never done it before. She let out a breath in a huff, blowing a puff of air up her forehead to move a strand of hair that had gotten loose. She quickly cored and chopped the apples before putting them with a bowl that already had a fair amount in it. He tiled his head to the side, wondering what she was going to do with so many apples before she started to roll the dough flat. She placed the dough in a low sided pan before tossing some of the exotic spices he had gotten from the west into the bowl. He almost winced at how much she was using until someone cleared their throats behind him. He glanced back at the man, giving him a raised eyebrow.

  
"What?" he asked, a little agitated that he couldn't watch her work.

  
Max jumped slightly at the sound of Chosokabe's voice, turning her attention toward the man in the doorway before she blinked, rushing back to the giant pot she had found, and stirring the stew. She took a deep breath, smiling at how well she did, given that there weren't the ingredients she was use to.

  
"The others have arrived, Captain," the man said, getting a confused glared from Chosokabe.

  
"Awesome," Max said, glad that it brought his attention to her before he did something to the guy delivering the message, "tell everyone that dinner's almost done."

  
The man gave her a small bow before leaving. He hesitated only slightly as Chosokabe turned his glare on her before walking the few paces toward her. Max could almost feel the anger rolling off of Chosokabe, but she ignored it, kneading the dough for the bread that went along with this meal.

  
"Who is here?" he asked, his voice strained as he leaned over her, watching her arms and fists work the dough.

  
She shrugged, "I thought it would be a good idea to invite the other warlords," she said, like it wasn't a big deal, as she lifted the dough from the bowl and set it in a long pan before turning to meet Chosokabe's glare. She stared at him, unamused as he glared down at her with that brilliant blue eye. "I'm a firm believer in sharing a good meal with friends and companions," she said, motioning toward everything that was already ready for dinner, "where I come from, some of the best plans were laid out over a meal, so, that's what I thought could happen."

  
He didn't say anything. He just stood there, glaring at her like she was the devil himself. She shifted, starting to feel a little anxious before the sound of the pot bubbling over moved her out of her frozen state.

  
"This isn't your time," Chosokabe said, standing straight while watching her stir the pot, "you can't just invite someone onto MY ship without asking me first!"

  
She took a deep breath, knowing that he was right before nodding, "I know. I'm sorry that I did," she turned, looking at him with concerned eyes, "but you were sleeping so soundly and you were taking care of me, I just didn't want to wake you up."

  
He snorted, folding his arms over his bare chest as he looked down at her, "you still should have," he growled.

  
She took a deep breath, glancing at the pie crusts ready for the apples before sighing, "so, do you want to rasend the invite?" she asked, looking up at him then, "because I'll explain to them..."

  
He cut her off, "it's too late now," he growled, glancing toward the door, "that would make me seem like a real jackass."

  
She gave him a small smile before moving toward him, bringing his eye to her. He still didn't look happy about it, but she lay her hand on his arm anyway, a feather of a touch, making his face soften slightly. "Thank you, Chosokabe. Next time the thought crosses my mind, I'll be sure to ask you first," she said, getting a sigh from the tall man.

  
"You better, or I might tie an anchor to your feet and throw you in the sea," he threatened, but his eye sparkled with a teasing glint, making her laugh.

  
"Deal," she said, waving him out of the kitchen, "now go say hi and get everyone situated."

  
"Don't you need help?" he asked, getting a tongue click from the woman as she gave him a hard push that barely moved him.

  
"Get out of here," she growled, stopping in the doorway as he moved out, "I've got this."

  
He turned, giving her a smile as his knuckles brushed some flour from her forehead, "you sure? You're a real mess."

  
She snorted, slapping his hand away, "get the hell out of here, Cho," she snarled, pointing down the hallway toward the upper deck.

  
He laughed as he turned, "alright, alright. Geez, don't hurt me," he mocked, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he walked, leaving her to her task.

  
Max took a deep breath, looking over everything while going over it out loud, "okay, Stew, check. Bread, check. Pie, check," she took another deep breath, feeling nervous about feeding the men on the ship and the warlords. She hoped that they liked it, or at least tried it.

  
"Lady Max," a man said from the doorway, making her glance at him, "do you need help?"

  
He asked as a couple others filed in, looking over the food with wide eyes and watering mouths, "it looks delicious!" one of the men exclaimed, making her smile.

  
"Thank you," she said, tapping her finger against her lips with her fist on her hip, "yeah. I'll need help carrying all this out. Except the pies," she pointed at the apple pies she had made, "those stay here until after everyone's eaten."

  
The men gave a nod before taking the items out. She stayed in the kitchen, pointing out what needed to go out and what didn't while a couple of the men grabbed stacks of bowls and spoons. She took a deep breath, following the last man to the door before turning and glancing over the kitchen. _Why do I feel like I'm forgetting something?_ she thought, her eyes scanning everything before she gave a shrug and left. She stepped into the dining area as the men were dishing out some of the stew to the warlords, giving them a bow before moving away. She glanced around the room, taking note of most of the men staring into their bowls like they weren't sure what they were about to eat. She couldn't help but smile at the brave few that just dived in and were eating it happily as she walked across the room to the raised floor where the warlords sat at their table.

  
"Did you really make this, Max?" Masamune asked, tilting his head as he lifted some of it in a spoon and let it dribble back into the bowl.

  
She frowned, feeling an insult coming, "yes," she said cautiously, giving him a glare, "why? Too hearty for your delicate pallet?"

  
Masamune clicked his tongue at her before looking back down into the bowl.

  
"What is it?" Kojuro asked, narrowing his eyes at the foggy broth.

  
"It's called Stew," she said, glad that she could share some of her culture with the warlords, "it's a hearty thick soup type meal that's from my country."

  
"It looks..." Kenshin paused, searching for the words as others volunteered them...again.

  
"Gross," Masamune said.

  
"Strange," Shingen said.

  
"Dirty," the blonde woman sitting beside Kenshin said.

  
"Interesting," Kenshin said, glancing around the table, "I was going to say interesting."

  
Max clicked her tongue, "atleast you guys are getting something good. What did you give me? The tasteless porrage crap?" she growled, giving Masamune a glare, "if you don't eat it, you don't get dessert."

  
Masamune blinked, turning that blue eye to her with annoyance, "if your dessert is anything like this, I don't think I want it."

  
She felt her blood pressure start to rise, getting the better of her. I slaved over a hot stove for hours, worried about making this right and you won't even try it? she screamed in her head, "then don't eat it," she said, grabbing the bowl in front of him and pouring it over his head, slamming the bowl down on the table, "wear it," she hissed between her teeth before turning and starting to stalk away. Masamune reached out, grabbing her arm to stop her. She turned, glaring at him as she tried to pull her arm free as he wiped the broth from his face.

  
"Nobody is stupid enough to pour my dinner over my head," he said, but he didn't sound angry. He actually sounded...amused by it. He turned, looking at her with a grin as he ran his tongue over the edge of his mouth, catching some of the broth as it trailed down his cheek, "not bad," he hummed, slowly releasing her as she stood glaring at him.

  
"You're an ass," she growled as one of the men brought another bowl to him, setting it in front of him before moving away. She folded her arms over her chest, trying to glare a hole in him as he smiled down at the stew. She clicked her tongue as he stirred it with the spoon, "want me to pour that one over your head too?"

  
He stopped and glanced at her with an unamused gaze before going back to the stew, "no thanks. I know how to eat."

  
"Could have fooled me," Max mumbled as Shingen lifted his spoon. She felt her heart pick up as he took a spoonfull and lifted it to his lips. She watched, waiting with her breath held, hoping that he would like it.

  
"I, for one, look forward to this new, strange food from a different time and country," he said, taking a bite of the stew and chewing for a moment. It was like the world stopped breathing as he ate the bite of stew and swallowed. She had her hand to her chest, with her other hand at her elbow, watching with wide eyes as he lowered his face slightly.

Does he not like it? Is it too hearty? Is he choking? What's wrong? Did I put too much water? A thousand questions circled her mind as everyone watched Shingen.

  
"Your Lordship? Is everything alright?" Yukimura asked, looking at Shingen like he was choking.

  
Shingen lifted his spoon and the bowl dramatically in front of him, making her blink in surprise, "this is the best tasting food I have ever eaten!" he proclaimed, drinking the stew down in a few gulps before holding the bowl out for more.

  
Yukimura followed suit, eating like it was his last meal on the planet before asking for more. Max let out a relieved breath, glad as everyone started to dig in to their own bowls. Her eyes scanned over the table before they fell on Keiji and Yumikichi, making her remember what she had forgotten. She turned, rushing from the room and back to the kitchen. She came back with a small plate of apples she had cut up and walked around to place them by Keiji's arm. He blinked at them before Yumekichi hopped down, happily taking an apple and munching on it, making him smile.

  
"Thank you, Max," he said, giving her a grin as Yumikichi squeaked his thanks.

  
"No problem," she said, giving the little monkey's belly a tickle, "I couldn't forget my favorite guy in the world."

  
Yumekichi turned away, putting his little hand to his cheek and giving her comment a wave, like he was embarrassed, making her and Keiji laugh. She stood and smiled at everyone in the dining hall, watching them eat with smiles and laughter. This was a wonderful moment in time and she was glad that she could bring it to them.

  
"Smells good," a voice behind her made her yelp and jump away, almost causing her to trip over Keiji.

  
"Sorry, Keiji," she said, getting a laugh from the man before she glared at Sasuke, who was grinning at her, "you need a bell around you neck or something."

  
He rolled his brown eyes, "it would be hard to do my job if I always wore a bell," he said, giving her a smile.

  
She snorted, "alright, only around me then, you should wear a bell," she said, folding her arms over her chest.

  
"Ah, but then I couldn't scare you like I do," he complained, getting a tongue click from her.

  
"That's the fucking point!" she hollered at him. She took a breath and shook her head as he walked around her to kneel beside Shingen. She blinked, rushing toward him and taking him by the back of the shirt, surprising him, "no war talk at the table. Now sit down and eat." Sasuke blinked at her before clicking his tongue. He started to say something when she held up her hand, "is the enemy going to attack us right this second?"

  
He blinked at her, "no, but..."

  
"Are they going to attack tonight?" she asked, folding her arms over her chest.

  
"No," he mumbled, narrowing his eyes at her, "but..."

  
"Will they attack us in the next twelve hours?" she asked, leaning forward slightly with annoyed emerald eyes.

  
He let out a breath, "no."

  
"The next twenty four hours?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

  
He sighed and rubbed the back of his head, now glaring at her, "not that we're aware of."

  
She leaned back and gave a nod before motioning to a place beside Yukimura, "then eat something before you fall down," she said, leaning slightly to the right, "you do know how to eat, right?"

  
Chosokabe snickered, elbowing Masamune who frowned at him as the others smiled.

  
Sasuke stood staring at her until Shingen spoke up, "come, Sasuke. You must try this delicious stew Max made for us."

  
Sasuke glanced at the bowls on the table before looking at her, "you made that?" he asked, his voice sounding as surprised as he looked.

  
She clicked her tongue, turning him and giving him a push, "sound more surprised, why don't you?" she mumbled as he took a seat beside Yukimura. "Now don't fill up too much on stew, boys," she said loud enough for everyone in the hall to hear her, "I made like twenty apple pies for dessert." She got a cheer from the crew, making her grin with pride as everyone went back to enjoy their meal.

  
"You aren't eating, Lady Max?" Kojuro asked, making her blink.

  
She thought about that for a moment before realizing that she hadn't eaten anything since breakfast. Her stomach realized that as well, giving a loud growl that made her turn pink as she rubbed the back of her head, "I guess I could eat," she said with a laugh as Chosokabe and Masamune moved apart almost in sync. They glanced at one another, their blue eyes sharp with unspoken words as Max made her way around the table, checking on Yumekichi as she past him and sat between the crazy samurai and the crazy pirate. A bowl was set in front of her, making her mouth water. She usually snacked while she cooked, but this time she was so focused on cooking a great meal for everyone that she had forgotten to eat herself.

  
"If you don't mind my asking, Lady Star," Kenshin said as she took a bite of her stew, "what's in this?"

  
"Yeah, I was wondering the same thing," Masamune said, giving her a grin, "you must be a sorceress to make it taste so wonderful."

  
She rolled her eyes, reaching up and plucking a hunk of carrot from his cheek, making him blink in surprise, "says the guy with carrot on his face," she mumbled, setting it on the table before turning back to Kenshin, "let's see, carrot, potato, onion, water, some salt and pepper and beef." Chosokabe coughed at the word "beef", beating his fist against his chest to regain air. She blinked at him and leaned forward slightly, "something wrong, Cho?"

  
He looked at her, his bright blue eye harsh, "you used my beef for this meal?" he growled, glaring at her.

  
She blinked, before narrowing her eyes and tilting her head slightly, "it had a few days of life left before you would have had to throw it away, and which would you rather do, Cho? Eat it or throw it?" she asked, folding her arms over her chest as she glared back at the big man.

  
Kenshin watched the woman glare back at Chosokabe and couldn't help but smile. She had guts, he could give her that. Or a death wish. He finished his stew, telling the man bringing the pot around that he didn't want anymore. It wasn't that he couldn't eat anymore, but if this was delicious, he wanted to know what this Apple pie would taste like. He watched Chosokabe click his tongue and look down into the bowl before sighing, making him blink in surprise. Chosokabe wasn't one to back down from a fight, but he just had. _Then again_ , he thought, his eyes sliding to Masamune, who was grinning at Chosokabe over the woman's head, _Date Masamune isn't one to back down from a potential fight either_. For half a second, after she had poured the stew over his head and started to walk away, he saw Date upset that he had upset her. Normally, Date would have laughed it off, if his reputation was any indication, but he seemed genuinely upset.

  
"Did you make the bread too?" Yukimura asked, taking a large bite out of a small loaf of bread.

  
Max turned to him, smiling as she dropped her hands to the table, "yeah. I made everything in this meal from scratch," she said, blinking at his confused stare.

  
"What's scratch and why did you need it to make this?" he asked, making everyone blink at him like they couldn't believe he didn't know that term. Max even was looking at him like he was an idiot.

  
Max sighed and shook her head, "when I say I made something from scratch, it means that I made it with individual ingredients."

  
Yukimura blinked at her, making her sigh again.

  
"Don't try, he won't get it," Sasuke said, leaning back with his hands behind his head while smiling at her, "it is really good, Max. Thank you."

  
She smiled at him before finishing off her own and standing. She looked around the room before giving a nod, "I've gotta go cut the pies up," she said, holding up at finger as she headed for the kitchen, "I'll be back."

  
"I look forward to it," Shingen called after her, making her smile.

  
They ate the pie that she served, Mmming with every bite.

  
"This is incredible," Yukimura said, giving her a smile as Shingen laughed, slapping him on the back.

  
"She would make a fine wife someday," he said, making her choke on the bite she swallowed.

  
She coughed, putting her hand to her chest, getting it past her chest before she gave Shingen a glare, "not that shit again," she growled, pointing her fork at him, "you ain't my daddy, so stop trying to sell me off to the highest bidder, Shingen."

  
He gave a hearty laugh, "but it's the truth," he said, laughing loudly as she gave him an unamused glare. His laughter ceased as he evened his gaze on her, "unless, you're already promised to someone."

  
She paused, her heart stopping as her left thumb slid under her hand to the tan line on her ring finger.

  
Masamune held his breath, not knowing why, but the thought of her being with someone made him feel crazy. _What's wrong with me?_ he thought as he looked at her out the corner of his eye.

  
Chosokabe took a sharp inhale at the mention of her being betrothed to someone before clicking his tongue. _Why would she want a man from her time when they're more useless than a pack of untrained dogs?_ he thought, glancing at her hand as it made a movement, her thumb touching her ring finger.

  
Kojuro swallowed the bite he had in his mouth, licking his lips before taking a long drink of Sake. _If she's already betrothed, then we shouldn't get involved_ , he thought, but he couldn't keep from glancing at her, for her answer.

  
Yukimura blinked, the thought actually making his chest hurt, but it wasn't the burning passion he felt when faced with a worthy opponent like Lord Masamune. It was something...sharp and unpleasant. His eyes turned to her, secretly hoping that she would say no.

  
Sasuke watched her thumb work on the bottom of her ring finger, like there was something there when it looked like it was long gone, leaving only a lighter colored line around her finger. She was frowning down at the finger, her eyes sad. He couldn't help but feel a little sad himself. She was fun to sneak up on and tease, but that look she wore now didn't suit her at all. She was much more beautiful when she smiled and laughed. Even when she threatened him. _What am I thinking?_ he asked himself, glancing at Lord Shingen as the large man watched her from across the table. Lord Kenshin watched as well, his face reflecting the sadness her's had.

  
She swallowed the sadness, pushing it down deep inside before taking a breath and looking up at Shingen, "no, I'm not," she said, almost feeling the tension disipate at her words as she lowered her eyes back to the tan line.

  
"You mean not anymore?" Shingen asked, folding his massive arms over his chest.

  
She slowly looked back up at him, shaking her head, half in answer, half begging him to stop asking questions.

  
"Did something happen to him?" Kenshin asked. His voice was gentle and soft but that didn't stop her from tensing her jaw as she looked back down at her half eaten piece of pie. Suddenly, she wasn't so hungry.

  
"I don't wanna talk about it," she said, her voice low and monotone as she pushed an apple slice around her plate.

  
"Did he die in battle?" Yukimura asked, making her grit her teeth with her mouth closed.

  
She shook her head, keeping her mouth shut as her eyes started to burn. Please stop asking questions, she mentally begged, keeping her eyes down.

  
"Did he die of an illness?" Yukimura pressed, wanting to know why she didn't want to talk about her ex betrothed, "how long were you promised to him?"

  
He was about to ask another question when Sasuke put his hand on Yukimura's shoulder, stopping the question in his throat. Sasuke nodded toward Max, who now had tears streaming down her cheeks, making his heart hurt again. _Why is she crying?_ he thought.

  
Masamune frowned at the other man before looking at Max, "Max," he started, lifting his hand to set it on her shoulder before she suddenly stood.

  
"I have to do dishes," she said, turning and walking from the room as if she was trying to keep from running. She walked down the hallway instead of heading into the kitchen. The men that helped told her they would do dishes since it was the least they could do after she made such a great meal for them. She gritted her teeth, her pace picking up until she was jogging and then running. Racing up the stairs, out onto the deck and down the plank. She ignored the hollers from the men working on the deck, running as fast as she could from the ship and the men on it. She needed to run away. Just...Run away from everything. She couldn't breathe past the memories clouding her mind, becoming more vivid as she tried to wipe them away. Tears streaked her cheeks and only more of them trickled down as she ran. She ran and ran, racing away from the men that promised to protect her. Away from what she was starting to know as safety. Away from...this...here and now. She coughed once as she ran, causing her to stumble and fall, skidding to stop a few feet from the entrance of the tent her men stayed in. She closed her eyes against the stinging of the dirt and gravel in her scratches and slowly got to her feet, inhaling in a sob. She didn't realize she was running back here.

  
The flap of the tent moved aside as Hojikoto stood, staring at her with wide eyes as she cried. She sniffled, standing with her knees close together to keep herself up before taking a step and falling to the ground. He rushed forward with a few others behind him, putting his hands on her shoulders, "Mistress!" he hollered, kneeling in front of her. She sobbed before surging forward, gripping his shirt as he grunted against her burying her face in his chest. Hojikoto blinked down at his new leader with wide eyes before taking a deep breath and hugging her to his chest. _She's so young_ , he thought, glancing back at the others before looking down at the top of Max's head, "Mistress Max, is something wrong?" he asked, his voice gentle as he spoke.

  
She sniffled, turning her head slightly, "digging up the past," she said, her voice thick with the tears she cried.

  
He gave a small nod, "come on, then, Mistress," he said, putting his feet under himself as he slid his arm under her legs and lifted her, bridal style. He carried her past the men gathered at the entrance of the tent and set her down on one of the beds. She started to sit up, the tears still streaming before he pushed her back down onto the bed. She didn't even frown at him as he pulled the blanket up from the bottom of the bed, "it's our turn to take care of you, Mistress."

  
She blinked at him a few times, the dark circles under her eyes making her green eyes more green, "I can't, Hoji," she said, her voice quiet.

  
He gave her a stern look, "you will get some sleep, because I suspect that you haven't had any since you arrived here," he said, giving her a gentle smile as he stroked her forehead and hair, "now sleep, Mistress. We'll keep an eye on you."

  
She gave him a small nod before closing her eyes. It didn't take more than a couple of seconds before she was sound sleep, making him and a few of the older men smile.


	14. Nightmares and... Betrothed?

 

_She couldn't breathe. The darkness around her was closing in, choking the breath from her lungs. She tried to cry out, scream for help but the darkness swallowed her words. She swallowed, feeling sick as the world seemed to tilt from side to side, making her stumble through the darkness._

  
_"Fallen Star," a deep voice hissed in the darkness making her stop._

  
_"Who's there!?!" she called, her voice echoing._

  
_The voice laughed, deep and menacing as the sound of slithering surrounded her, making her spin to try to find the source. She turned, her eyes going wide at the face of Oda Nobunaga a few inches from her's. His red eyes bore into her, glowing against the darkness that surrounded them. A wicked smirk spread across his face as his sharp, demonic fingers gripped her shoulders._

  
_"Now, you are mine," he hissed._

 

  
She bolted up, screaming as she thrashed her arms, clawing to get away from Oda. She stopped when she realized she wasn't in the dream anymore, blinking at the other side of the tent. She felt her body shaking, sweat trailed down her spine and forehead, drenching her clothing as she pulled her legs up to her chest, wrapping her are around them to keep them there. It was just a dream, she told herself, putting her eyes against her knees, just a dream.

  
Yukimura groaned at the ground as he walked, thinking about how Max was upset. _What happened to her betrothed?_ he thought as he moved across the clearing toward the camp. _It must have been a horrific death for her to get so upset over it_ , he thought, thinking back to what Lord Shingen had told him.

 

  
_"Yukimura, you should apologize to the Fallen Star for bringing up such awful memories," Lord Shingen said to him, his massive arms folded over his chest in his usual strong fashion._

  
_"But, I just wanted to know why it upset her," he had said, looking at Lord Shingen with angry eyes, "is that so wrong?"_

  
_"She didn't want to talk about it and you pushed the subject," Kojuro said, his voice harsh as he glared at the Young Cub._

  
_"But..." Masamune cut him off._

  
_"If someone doesn't want to talk about something, there's usually a good reason behind it," he said, looking at the half eaten slice of pie Max had left._

  
_"I just wanted to know what happened to her betrothed," Yukimura said, looking down at his fists in his lap, "I didn't mean to upset her."_

  
_"Next time, think before you speak, boy," Lord Shingen said, giving Yukimura a stern stare, "and listen to what others are saying."_

 

  
He took a deep breath, pausing a few paces from camp before glancing toward the tent where Max's men were taking residence in. He swallowed before giving himself a sharp nod and marching toward the tent.

  
"Yukimura," Sasuke's voice made him stop and look at the ninja as he approached, "where are you going?"

  
Yukimura shrugged, motioning toward the tent, "I thought Max would be in the tent with her men," he said, starting to walk again.

  
Sasuke sighed, "I guess," he said, putting his hands behind his head as he walked beside Yukimura. He glanced at the young man before looking back at the tent, "have you figured out what you're going to say to her?"

  
Yukimura lifted his chin, "I'm going to apologize and speak from the heart," he said, making Sasuke pause for a moment.

  
"You're going to what?" he hissed, pulling Yukimura to a stop.

  
Yukimura gave him an annoyed glare, "I'm going to apologize to Max and tell her what I'm feeling," he said, sounding like it wasn't a big deal as Sasuke blinked at him.

  
"What do you mean, how you feel?" he asked, starting to get a little angry.

  
Yukimura frowned at the ninja, "I'm going to tell Max that I like her and that she'll make a great leader and that I support her in her quest to desimate Oda and his armies," he said, stepping away from Sasuke.

  
Sasuke actually breathed a small sigh of relief, thinking how awkward it would be for Yukimura to confess his undying love to the woman from a different time. He blinked, thinking for a moment as Yukimura started to walk toward the tent. _Wait, what!?!_ he thought, turning quickly to catch Yukimura when he realized the first part of what he was going to say.

  
Max had closed her eyes for a moment, trying to doze a little but failing, jolting awake everytime those eyes flashed across her mind. She took a deep breath, sitting up more before the sound of loud voices brought her attention toward the tent flaps. She blinked, listening to the loud proclaimations from Yukimura before Hojikoto's voice hollered over his.

  
"She's resting!" Hojikoto growled as a few other voices joined his, "and if you are the one that upset our Mistress, we don't want you anywhere near her."

  
"Yeah," the others agreed, getting a growl of frustration from Yukimura.

  
"Stand aside, now," Yukimura demanded before the sound of a sword being drawn made her get up from the bed.

  
She stumbled slightly before regaining her balance, walking to the tent flap and peeking through it.

  
Yukimura drew his spears, getting into a fighting position while her men stood facing off against him with their own swords drawn. "I do not want to harm you, because you are precious to Lady Max, but I will if you do not stand aside!" Yukimura said, his voice strong and unwavering.

  
She slowly pushed the tent flap aside, her eyes scanning over the men as they stood facing one another. Yukimura's eyes widened when he saw her. Her hair was a mess and her eyes looked like she hadn't slept in weeks. She looked worn out and tired, but she didn't look angry. He lowered his spears and his head giving her a deep bow as she moved through her men. They blinked at her in surpise, looking a little frightened as she placed her hand on Hojikoto's shoulder. He glanced at her, his eyes going wide as he lowered his sword.

  
"Mistress Max," he started, only to close his mouth and lower his eyes as she looked at him.

  
She snorted and turned to look at Yukimura, "what do you want, Yuki?" she asked, her voice sounding thick and tired.

  
Yukimura dropped to his hands and knees, keeping his head lowered as he spoke, "I came to apologize for pushing my questions onto you when you didn't want to talk about your betrothed and the horrendous way he perished," he said, blinking as Max gave a sharp, bitter laugh. He looked up, his eyes scanning over the anger and weariness on her face.

  
"He didn't die, Yukimura," she said, folding her arms over her chest as he thumb played with the tan line on her finger, "he was...unfaithful."

  
Yukimura blinked, leaning forward slightly, "how awful!" he growled as he shot to his feet. He moved forward, only pausing when Hojikoto and Shukunoba moved forward as well with their swords ready. He swallowed, lowering his eyes to the ground in apology before looking back up at her, "please, Max. I would like to know how he was unfaithful," he said, his voice low and soft.

  
She watched him for a moment, at the point of tired where she didn't really care anymore. All she had done since their break up, and coming here, was cry, and she was done crying. She took a deep breath, her eyes glancing past Yukimura to the others as they entered the clearing and started across it. "I caught him in bed with a woman that I thought was my friend," she said, looking back at him with tired emeralds, "we were supposed to be married in two weeks and I got home from work a little early," she swallowed, the thought starting to bring the tears back, "I walked into our bedroom to change and caught them in bed together." She took another deep breath and shrugged, "that's one of the main reasons I took a vacation to Japan. It was the farthest place on earth I could think of to get away from that bastard."

  
Sasuke frowned, glaring down at the ground as he crouched beside the tent. He had wanted to scare Max, make her get angry at him and laugh about it, but when he saw how she looked, he had changed his mind. She either wouldn't jump or she would kill him. She had cared wholey for someone, loving them with all her being and that man had thrown it away for another woman. _What kind of man chooses someone else over Max?_ he thought.

  
"What kind of man would choose someone over you?" Yukimura's words echoed Sasuke's thoughts, making him look at the Young Cub as he stared at Max with sad eyes.

  
She blinked, feeling her cheeks flush as she looked away from him, "I'm not really all that great, Yuki," she said, as she felt him take her left hand in his, covering it with his other hand. She blinked at his hand before looking up at him with wide eyes.

  
His brown eyes stared at her intently, focused on only her. She felt herself blush again as she glanced away. "You, Max Star, are a wonderful person," he said, bringing her eyes back to him, "I have seen you shoot Oda Nobunaga. Stand up for what you believed in. Attacked a war lord for killing an injured man even though you didn't know what you were doing, and make a delicious meal that we have never dreamed of," his face softened as he gave her a gentle smile, giving him that boyish charmed look, "I would be proud to call you my betrothed."

  
Max felt her heart race as she stared at Yukimura, hanging on his every word.

  
Sasuke blinked at Yukimura's words, leaning around the tent to stare at him. What did he just say? he asked himself, feeling something heavy in the bottom of his stomach, like a heavy stone.

  
Max licked her lips, before swallowing, "are you...asking me...to marry you?" she asked, feeling her body go numb.

  
Yukimura blinked, his mind going over what he had just said before his eyes opened wide. He let her hand drop as he took a couple of steps back, "I...I didn't mean....I was just trying to...make you feel better...because...that man...your ex-betrothed...he shouldn't have betrayed you," he said, his voice choppy and shocked.

  
She let out a breath she was holding as Yukimura shook his head frantically, trying to assure her that that wasn't his intention. After stumbling over so many words, he lowered his head and excused himself, quickly walking into the camp, with blushing cheeks, and disappearing, making the men behind her laugh. She took a deep breath, feeling almost disappointed that he wasn't asking her, while relieved. They didn't know each other that well and the only person she had any thing close to a romantic relationship with was Chosokabe and that was only because they kissed a couple of times. Of course, there was the teasing that she and Masamune did to one another, but that wasn't really a couples' thing, was it? Were they actually flirting with one another? Did he see it like that? She frowned at the ground. Then there was...

  
"Hey, Max!" Sasuke's voice made her jump, turning her around to glare at the shinobi.

  
"What's your problem!?" she hollered, stocking toward him and giving him a sock in the arm.

  
"Oowww," he whined, rubbing his arm dramatically as he grinned at her, "do you have to hit so hard?"

  
She snorted, leaning forward to glare at him, "I barely touched you, you whimp," she growled, socking him in the other arm.

  
He dropped to the ground dramatically, rolling around while crying out like she had beat the crap out of him.

  
She sighed, putting her fist on her hip as she rubbed her forehead, glaring down at the dramatic ninja, "why the hell do I put up with you?" she sighed, shaking her head as his rolls came to a stop with his head at her feet.

  
He smiled up at her as he let his arms drop to the ground beside him, "because you find me irresistibly adorable," he said, making her laugh.

  
"Whatever you have to tell yourself," she said, glancing at Shingen, Kenshin and the woman, as they came to investigate Sasuke's dramatic display.

  
Shingen looked down at Sasuke, giving the ninja a raised eyebrow as he got to his feet, "why were you rolling on the ground, Sasuke?" he asked, feigning anger while his eyes sparkled with laughter.

  
Kenshin smiled at the ninja as Sasuke scratched his cheek, looking away, a little embarrassed.

  
"I was telling him about the 'stop, drop, and roll' technique, in case someone ever sets him on fire," Max said, making Sasuke blink at her before he smiled.

  
"Yeah. It's a strange technique that Max's people in her time do in case of being caught on fire," he said, putting his hands behind his head, "I was testing it out before putting it in action."

  
The woman smirked, stepping forward, "well? Let's test it and see if it actually works," she said, pulling out a kunai with something attached to it.

  
Sasuke gave the woman wide eyes before holding his hands up, "come on, Kasuga. I was just testing it out. No need to put it in practice yet," he said, only to take a few steps back as the woman moved forward. He gave her a nervous chuckle before disappearing, followed by the woman. Max could only imagine that she was chasing him through the camp, trying to get a good shot at him with that strange kunai.

  
"Has Yukimura been here to apologize yet?" Shingen asked, bringing her attention to him.

  
She gave a small nod, "yeah, but you should tell him to work on his apologies," she said, folding her arms over her chest, "or at least the wording."

  
"He didn't insult you, did he?" Kenshin asked, looking serious.

  
Max shook her head, smiling at how red Yukimura got when he realized what he had said to her, "no. I wouldn't call it an insult, but he needs to be more careful about how he words things," she said, giving a laugh, "I thought he was purposing to me, the way he was talking."

  
Kenshin tilted his head to the side, slightly, giving her a confused look, "what was he purposing?" he asked, genuinely confused.

  
Max smiled and shook her head, "when I say sounded like he purposed to me, I mean it sounded like he was asking me to marry him," she explained getting wide eyes from the two older war lords, making her laugh, "we got it cleared up, but, like I said, he needs to work on..."

  
She was cut off by Shingen's massive arms wrapping around her, lifting her from the ground in a huge bear hug.

"CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU BOTH!!" he boomed, making her grit her teeth as she kicked against him.

"We aren't engaged!" she hollered, trying to wiggle out of his arms.

"I knew you were the woman for the Young Cub!" he exclaimed, giving a loud laugh as she struggled against him.

  
"Kenshin, help," she hissed, having a hard time breathing past the tight hug, "he's not listening and I can't breathe."

  
Kenshin gave a low chuckle as he moved up to Shingen, placing at graceful hand on his shoulder, "my friend. I believe that you are about to kill Yukimura's betrothed by crushing her to death."

  
Max glared daggers at Kenshin, only to get an emotionless smile from the man as Shingen put her down, jarring her on her feet. She swayed slightly as air rushed back to her lungs before she stood in front of the Tiger of Kai and poked him in the arm, because she couldn't reach his chest, "look here, Shin!" she snarled, making the old man grin at her, "Yukimura and I are barely friends, so, there is no way that we are engaged to one another. Even if that were a possibility, it would take more than a few days to make that an option."

  
Shingen leaned down, slapping his massive hand down on her shoulder, almost sending her to her knees, "when is the wedding set?" he asked, grinning at her with such joy it almost made her want to go along with it.

  
"WE'RE NOT BETROTHED!" she screeched, glaring into his sparkling brown eyes before he stood and turned toward the camp.

  
"Let me know when you two plan to wed so I can give you a proper wedding," he said, laughing loudly as he walked between the tents.

  
She stared after him, still in shock from him thinking her and Yukimura were together before looking at Kenshin, "you're going to talk some sense into him, right?" she asked, almost begged, "he's just kidding, right?"

  
Kenshin sighed, "sadly, I do not believe that my old friend and rival will listen to reason unless you find someone to prove other wise to him," he said, giving her a gentle pat on the shoulder, "my condolences."

  
She frowned, "don't say that. It makes me feel like I'm going to die," she sighed, heading back into the tent to the sound of Kenshin's soft chuckle.

  
Max leaned back in the chair she sat in, listening to the men as they slept soundly, their breathing steady. Her eyes were heavy and all she wanted to do was sleep, but the flashes of Oda and his Demon eyes made her push down the weariness. She wanted nothing more than to just crawl into an empty cot and pass out, but she couldn't. She closed her eyes for a moment before struggling to her feet. She took a deep breath, glancing over the sleeping bodies before leaving the tent. She wanted to help with breakfast, especially with her dinner the night before being a success. If she couldn't fight, she could cook for the men that could. She strolled through the tents, smiling at the sunrise as it blanketed the tents and grass with rays of orange and red. She took a breath, walking around the tents toward the tent where they kept their cooking supplies. If she was going to feed thousands of men, she would have to start right away. She stepped into the tent and smiled at the large bag of flour sitting on one of the tables before searching for some eggs and water. _Pancakes it is_ , she thought as she started to prepare the batter and skillets for the fire.

  
Chosokabe whistled to himself as he and his men marched into the camp. The others, after Max had run off, wanted to have a meeting and get everyone's men use to one another for the upcoming battle against Oda. He wasn't a fan of the idea but, at this point, he would do anything to beat that nasty warlord. He paused, stopping the men behind him as he lifted his nose to the air like a dog catching a scent. Something smelled warm and sweet, blanketing the entire area around the camp with the scent. He inhaled, deeply, not sure what the smell was but almost positive that the woman was behind it. She had a way with food that was strange but delicious and he was suddenly glad he didn't forgo the meeting. He started toward the bonfire, hoping that whatever she made tasted as good as it smelled.

  
Masamune slowly opened his eye, a strange scent in the air bringing him out of his sleep. He inhaled, almost smiling at the smell before he sat up, stretching a yawning. _I wonder who's making what,_ he thought as he stood and went to his armor hanging on a stand near the back of his tent. Maybe it's one of Max's strange meals. The mere thought made him giddy with excitement to try another one of her futuristic foods. She had told them the night before that the food she made wasn't even from Future Japan, so he was curious as to what she was making now. He got dressed and straightened his eye patch before stepping out of his tent.

  
Kojuro sat crosslegged, meditating before the strange smell interupted his inner peace, but it wasn't a bad interuption. He slowly lifted his eyelids and glanced at the tent flap a few seconds before Masamune's voice came from outside.

  
"Hey, Kojuro, you awake?" Masamune asked a few seconds before walking into the tent.

  
Kojuro sighed as he uncrossed his legs and stood up, going to his swords leaning against a chest. He lifted them, securing them to his hip before looking at Masamune.

  
"Come on, Uncle Kojo," Masamune whined like a child, giving Kojuro a playful smile, "I want to eat whatever Max is making before everyone else eats it up."

  
Kojuro sighed, following his lord out of the tent and toward the bonfire. He had to admit to himself, he did look forward to whatever it was she was making. "You think this means she accepted Yukimura's apology?" he asked Masamune as they walked.

  
Masamune shrugged, "who cares as long as she doesn't poison the food," he said, smiling at Kojuro's shocked glance, "I'm sure she wasn't angry enough to poison all the food. Just Yukimura's."

  
Kojuro frowned at Masamune, getting a chuckle from said man as they moved through the tents. Kojuro sighed, looking down at the ground for a moment before looking straight ahead, "perhaps today she should learn how to fight with a sword," he said, making it sound half like a question.

  
Masamune sighed, stopping just before they rounded the tent, "she does want to learn how to defend herself," he said, glancing up toward the sky, "today's as good a day as any."

  
Kojuro gave him a nod as they rounded the tents and paused, watching as a few men rushed around the bonfire while a few others seemed to be studying something in the pans. Max rushed out of the storage tent, carrying a large bag of flour as she went to a group that was mixing something. She poured the white powder into one of the bowls before handing it off to one of the men who broke eggs into it. Max stood straight, brushing the back of her hand against her forehead, wiping away the sweat as the wind picked up, blowing strands of hair that got loose from her ponytail around her face, giving her the look of an enchantress. Masamune was stunned by her, his eye watching as she smiled at one of the men as he brought a pile of thin looking bread to her. She nodded telling him something as she pointed toward a table that was set up. She turned giving Masamune and Kojuro a smile as she walked toward them. Kojuro swallowed, taking a deep breath as he watched her move, like some wild nymph out of a fairytale.  
"Hey guys," she said, giving them a smile as she motioned toward the table, "hope you're hungry. I...well, WE made pancakes."

  
Masamune blinked, glancing at the men around the fire, helping her cook. He tilted his head to the side slightly when he realized that all the men cooking were from the group Max now lead.

  
"What are pancakes?" Kojuro asked, glancing at the warlords already sitting down with plates of the thin breads.

  
Max grinned, "they're a sweet bread type breakfast food," she said, nodding toward the table, "if you don't hurry, Chosokabe and Yukimura might eat it all."

  
Masamune gave her a smile and a nod before heading for the table, leaving Kojuro and her alone.

  
"Are you alright, Max?" Kojuro asked, watching her closely as she blinked at him.

  
She took a breath and gave him a small nod, "yeah, I just..." She glanced toward the others before looking at Kojuro, "I'll be alright. It just...the betrayal still hurts, you know?"

  
Kojuro frowned at her, folding his arms over his chest, "betrayal?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.

  
She took a breath and gave him a sad smile, "I caught James in bed with another woman when he promised to be with me," she explained, knowing that she didn't have to elaborate to Kojuro.

  
He gave a small nod, "I understand," he said, putting his hand on her shoulder as he moved past her, "and, thank you for breakfast."

  
She smiled as she watched Masamune and Kojuro help themselves before going back to make sure Shukunoba hadn't started throwing around batter...again.

  
Max gave a sigh as she sat down in front of the log, slouching against it as she leaned back. The men of the camp were happily munching on the pancakes, even though they weren't as good as the ones that Max had in her time, they were better than the rice porrage. She half wondered if the men knew how to make anything else.

  
"You aren't eating, Lady Max?" Yukimura's voice brought her out of her thoughts, bringing her attention to him as he started on his fifth round of pancakes.

  
She smiled and shook her head, "I'm not really that hungry," she said, nodding toward the table, "besides, I only like my pancakes with strawberries and whipped topping."

  
"What's whipped topping?" Kenshin asked as he set his plate down.

  
"It's cream that's been whipped into a thick frothy type thing," she said, having a hard time discribing it, "it's really sweet and light." She sighed, starting to really miss her home and the food.

  
"Sounds strange but delicious," Kasuga said, taking a bite of her pancake with fruit on it.

  
Max smiled, "you have no idea. You can eat it on pancakes, pie, cake, cookies, ice cream, or just straight out of the container," she said, motioning scooping something out of a bowl.

  
"Ice cream? What's that?" Kojuro asked, blinking at her as he set his half empty plate in his lap.

  
"It's thickened milk, basically. You can put strawberries, chocolate, caramel, nuts, dessert pieces, or even just have plain vanilla in it," she explained, giving a heavy sigh, "I really miss Moosetracks Ice Cream."

  
"Sounds...strange," Kojuro said, finishing off his pancakes before standing to get more.

  
Max shrugged, leaning back against the log with a yawn as she let her head drop back.

  
"Tired, little siren?" Chosokabe asked, making her glance at him.

  
"Yeah," she admitted, sitting up straight before she fell asleep, "but I'll get over it once I start moving around."

  
"Speaking of moving around," Masamune said as he set his plate on the ground, "you're going to be learning how to use a sword."

  
She blinked at him a few times before sighing, "do I have to?" she whined, getting a smirk from the one-eyed man.

  
"You brought it up," he said, nodding toward Kojuro as he sat down, "Kojuro can teach you the basics, and when you get good enough, I'll test you out."

  
Max blinked, feeling a little anxious about that deal but gave a small nod, "okay," she said, hesitantly, "when do we start?"

  
"When Kojuro's finished stuffing his face," Masamune said as Kojuro stuck a large bite in his mouth.

  
Kojuro paused, blinking at Masamune before getting chuckles and laughs from everyone in the group.

  
"If you don't mind, I would like to watch your training, Maxine," Kenshin said, making her more nervous.

  
She shrugged, trying to play it cool, "if you want, but I don't have any idea what I'm doing."

  
Kenshin gave her a small, encouraging smile, "everyone starts off not knowing what they're doing. You will do fine."

  
Max rolled her eyes, "at least somebody has confidence in me," she paused, something clicking in her mind, "you realize, of course, that I don't have a sword of my own."

  
Masamune shrugged, "borrow one from your men," he said, getting to his feet with a stretch, "I'll be waiting."

  
He walked away from the group, making her frown, "he's serious, isn't he?" she asked, glancing up at Kojuro as he finished off his pancakes.

  
Kojuro looked down with a sigh, "I'm afraid that Lord Masamune doesn't joke when it comes to fighting and training," he said, getting to his feet as well, "I will be waiting for you in the field. Come prepared, for I will not make it easy."

  
Max smiled, "I would be insulted if you did," she said, pushing down the nervous twitches as he walked away. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly trying to stifle a yawn and failing.

  
"Didn't get enough sleep, Lady Max?" Shingen asked, grinning at her as he glanced at Yukimura, who was happily munching on his pancakes, oblivious to the ideas in his Lord's head, "Yukimura kept you up, no doubt."

  
Yukimura paused mid bite, glancing at Shingen with confused eyes, "your lordship?"

  
Shingen gave a great laugh, slapping Yukimura on the back, "that's the ticket, my Cub!"

  
Max frowned at him, "I already told you, like a million times, at this point, Yukimura and I are NOT together!" she growled, getting to her feet, "keep pushing, old man, and I'll kick your ass just for suggesting it."

  
Chosokabe laughed as he got to his feet, shaking his head, "I'd like to see a little thing like you take down the Tiger of Kai," he said, grinning at her.

  
She snorted, "it's as simple as sticking my finger in his wound," she said, giving Shingen a smile that didn't reach her eyes, "right, Shingen?" Shingen just grinned at her, like she wasn't threatening at all, making her sigh. She took a deep breath and let it out as she shook her head and started walking, giving everyone a wave as she left. She didn't know what she was going to do about learning how to fight with a sword. She wanted to, but she didn't want to take someone else's sword if she couldn't help it. Maybe they'll teach me with those stick swords? she mentally hoped, knowing that they probably wouldn't. She sighed again, shaking her head as she realized someone was calling her. She stopped and turned to see Ryushiro jogging after her. "Ryu, what's up?" she asked, blinking as he held out a couple of swords toward her.

  
"We were discussing you learning to fight yesterday after you fell asleep," he explained as she gently took the swords from his hands, "these were extra that were collected from the battle ground."

  
She blinked at them, feeling a small sense of pride as the swords seemed to vibrate in her hands. She looked up Ryushiro and gave him a grateful smile and nod, "thank you, Ryushiro. I'll be sure to use these properly," she said, tying them to her belt on her left side. They felt a little heavy, making her sinch her belt a little tighter to keep her pants from sliding down, but she couldn't keep the smile from her face.

  
He placed his hand gently on her shoulder as he gave her a smile, "kick some ass, Mistress Max," he said, getting a grin from the woman.

  
"Damn straight," she said, turning and heading for the battle field. She felt...confident. Powerful, almost with those swords on her hip. Now she understood why the warlords walked around with such confidence radiating from them. She placed her hand on the hilt of the top one and gave it a fond smile as she made her way to the field where Masamune and Kojuro were waiting for her.


	15. Sleep...Taking...Over...

 

Max stumbled back from the blow Kojuro dealt, trying to regain her stance before he moved forward, swinging his sword down. She gave a yelp as her wrists were jarred, the sword slipping from her grip and falling to the ground. She huffed, her legs shaking as she tried to stay standing and failed, her knees hitting the hardened dirt with a thump. She rubbed her wrists, wincing at the numbness the rest of her arm was feeling as Kojuro sheathed his sword with a sigh, shaking his head.

  
"You're going to need a lot of practice," he sighed, rubbing the back of his head as he looked at her.

  
She sighed, rolling her hand around her wrist to make sure it wasn't broken, "I think I did pretty good, for it being my first time," she grumbled, the field now bathed in the late afternoon golden glow.

  
Kojuro glanced toward Masamune, Kenshin, Shingen, Yukimura and Chosokabe, who had watched the whole session without a word. "It doesn't take away the fact that we don't have time for you to take your time learning," Masamune said, moving onto the training area, "you'll have to learn quick or you'll die."

  
Max clicked her tongue, giving the one-eyed dragon of Ouushu a glare, "like I don't fucking know that," she growled, snatching the sword from the ground and shakily, getting to her feet. She roughly sheathed the sword, having to try a couple of times because her whole arm was shaking from exertion, "I didn't ask for this." She was starting to feel pressured again. Even more heavy now with the weight of Kojuro and Masamune trying to teach her.

  
"We know, Lady Max," Kojuro said, his voice gentle, "but it is something you need to learn to survive in this time period."

  
She gave a heavy sigh, feeling her body starting to wear down. Her arms felt numb and sore and she felt gross, having been sweating in the hot sun all day. She wanted nothing more than to take a hot bath and get some sleep...if Nobunaga's eyes would stay out of her dreams.

  
"You're going to need to work hard to be able to even defend yourself," Masamune said, folding his arms over his chest as Kenshin walked up next to him.

  
She was tired and starting to get frustrated with herself and the situation, "I know," she mumbled, trying to quell the anger.

  
"Keeping your blade straight in front of you will help you defend yourself from most attacks from the front," Kenshin said, taking a stance to show her, "taking a similar stance you are comfortable with will help defend you from all angles."

  
She took a breath, putting her hand to her head as she rubbed her forehead, getting a headache that only fueled the frustration.

  
Chosokabe walked up with the others as they tried to give Max instructions on how to stand to defend herself, or how she could move to block an attack. She looked drained and hurt and frustrated as she glanced from one warlord to the next. Her "I Know"s kept getting louder and more angry as the others gave their instruction. She looked like she was about to turn those swords on them any moment.

  
"Max," he said as he stepped up to her.

  
"What?!?" she snarled, turning her angry emerald eyes to him.

  
He leaned down slightly, narrowing his bright blue eye at her. He didn't say anything as he stood, glancing at the others briefly before taking her arm, "I think that's enough for today," he said, starting to lead her from the group.

  
"You haven't even given her any advice," Masamune said, tilting his head slightly at Chosokabe, "what gives?"

  
Chosokabe stopped and turned, giving the other warlords a smile, "you think telling her all these things at once is going to sink in after training all day? She is a delicate little thing," he reminded, getting a few blinks from the others.

  
"You are right," Kenshin said, his eyes on Max as she kept her back toward them.

  
"We should remember that she is not from this time and thus should not be treated in the same mannor that we would treat someone from this time," Shingen said.   
Chosokabe could feel her relax in his hand, but he didn't show that he noticed.

  
Masamune clicked his tongue and looked off to the side, clearly frustrated, "fine, but we'll expect her here at dawn for training," he said, turning and walking back to the camp.

  
Kojuro gave a small nod before following, leaving Kenshin, Shingen and Yukimura.

  
Shingen gave a chuckle as he slapped Yukimura on the back, "perhaps you can comfort your betrothed tonight, huh, Yukimura?" he said, grinning at the confused young man.

  
"She's coming to the Fugaku with me," Chosokabe said, his stern words bringing their attention to him, "after all, I'm still in charge of her for the moment."

  
Kenshin watched the Ogre of the Western Sea for a few moments, his eyes wandering to Max, who seemed to lean slightly into the man's grip. Shingen seemed confused by the claim, glancing at Yukimura as if trying to confirm what Chosokabe said before Kenshin spoke up, "perhaps it's best for Maxine to spend some time away from the camp," he said, getting a glance from Chosokabe as Kenshin gave the taller man a knowing smile, making the pirate blush.

  
Shingen narrowed his eyes at his rival before giving a sigh and a nod, "I suppose that would be best, for the time being," he said, giving Chosokabe a nod, "very well. If Yukimura is fine with his betrothed being on a pirate ship, then I have no qualms about it."

  
Chosokabe clicked his tongue and started to say something when Max started moving, catching him off guard as his hand was still around her arm. He sighed and moved to look like he was the one making her move as they walked away. She kept her eyes on the ground, feeling her emotions and energy drain completely from her body. She hurt and she was tired and numb. She stumbled, but remained on her feet thanks to Chosokabe's hand around her arm.

  
"Max," he started, his deep, growly voice gentle as he spoke, "do you want me to carry you to the Fugaku?"

  
She paused for a moment, actually thinking about it as her eyes started to droop. He sighed and scooped her up without letting her answer, carrying her bridal style through the trees and to the ship. She took a deep breath, welcoming the lack of energy she needed to exert with his carrying her, as well as the warmth his body gave off. She leaned her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes as she listened to the beating of his heart in his chest. "Thank you, Chosokabe," she mumbled as, no longer able to fight it, sleep started to take her.

  
He smiled down at the small woman in his arms, pausing for a moment to watch the sunlight shine in that firey mane of her's. He couldn't believe that she with stood so much for a long as she did, given what she had told them of her time and herself, she had never even held a sword, except when she wildly swung that one at Motonari. He grinned at the memory of this little firework exploding right in front of everyone. She moaned, shifting slightly in his arms as he moved, bringing his attention back down to her. She looked so peaceful, sleeping while he carried her out toward his ship.

  
"AHOY CAPTAIN!" He was greeted, grinning at his men as he boarded the ship.

  
"AHOY YOU MONGRELS!" he called back, getting a grunt from the woman as her eyelids slowly lifted. He cleared his throat, slowly lowering her to the deck and keeping his hands on her shoulders as she regained her balance. "Have a good nap?" he asked with a grin.

  
She just looked up at him, her entire body looking more tired than she was a few minutes ago.

  
"What happened, Lady Max?" one of his crew asked, noticing how unstable on her feet she was.

  
"She just had her first official day of training with a sword," Chosokabe annouced to everyone, getting cheers from his crew.

  
Max furrowed her brow, putting her hand to her head as she wobbled, "ow," she mumbled, shaking her head slightly as he stabilized her.

  
"You alright, little siren?" Chosokabe asked, a grin on his mouth while his eyes were serious and concerned.

  
She sighed and shook her head before glancing around, "you wouldn't happen to have a shower or bath tub on this boat, would you?" she asked, her voice sounding more stable than she looked.

  
Chosokabe gave a small nod, "sure we do. I'll take you to it," he said, giving a few of his men a nod before leading her down into the ship. She followed, holding onto his arm as they walked to keep from falling over, this time it wasn't because of the ship. She yawned, her mouth opening wide as she closed her eyes, sort of sleep walking as they moved. He cleared his throat as they moved, bringing her eyelids up to look at him as they stopped in front of a door that had a strange water serpent on it. He turned the handle and pushed it open, revealing a room with many baths and steaming water. Chosokabe lead her to a bath at the farthest end of the room, motioning toward it as she released him.   
She started to strip down, not caring that there was no curtain. She blinked at the sound of something scraping across the wood floor, and turned to see a colorful privacy wall that he had brought over to her. She took a deep breath and finished striping down, placing her swords against the privacy wall before sinking into the almost too hot water with a sigh. She lay back against the edge of the wood tub, closing her eyes as the water soothed her aching muscles.

  
"Max, don't fall asleep on me," Chosokabe's voice pulled her back from the edge of sleep, "I would hate to sing songs of your failed triumph against bath water."

  
She gave a small moan and blinked a few times, trying to stay awake as she washed the dirt and grime from her body. She yawned, long and loud as she lay back, once again, against the edge of the tub, her eyes starting to droop again.

  
"Little siren," Chosokabe sang from behind the wall, making her slowly lift her eyelids, "if you can't stay awake, I'll have to join you to keep you from drowning."

  
She snorted, pushing herself to her feet before stepping out of the tub. The air was cool against her skin, but she felt clean and refreshed. A towel hung from over the wall making her blink at the purple color before yawning. She reached up, and pulled it down, wrapping it around herself before stepping out from behind the wall. She yawned again, wanting nothing more than to sleep as she absently leaned against the privacy wall, causing it to fall over and make her stumble. Chosokabe caught her before she could fall, giving a heavy sigh as he shook his head and picked her up.

  
"What am I going to do with you?" he mumbled, glancing at the swords laying under the wall. He sighed again and shook his head, glancing down at the young woman as she lay in his arms, wet, half naked and already falling asleep. _She must have worked harder than I thought_ , he thought, turning and heading for the door. He carried her down the hallway and into his room, gently laying her on his bed. He didn't care about any of his beding getting wet as he pulled the blankets back and tucked her in. She gave a small content sigh, making his stomach flutter, as she rolled over, pulling the blankets up to her chin. He sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed, watching her as she slept soundly. He took a deep breath, reaching out as stroking her long hair, twirling the red, golds and browns around his finger before releasing the strand and getting to his feet with a frustrated growl. He paced toward the door, rubbing the back of his neck as he moved. _What the hell am I doing?_ he thought, pausing at the door to glance back at the woman asleep in his bed. _She's not from this time and wants to go back to her own time, which is where she belongs_. He let out another frustrated sigh before leaving the room and closing the door behind him. He wandered back toward the bathing room and gathered up her clothing before glancing at the swords still under the wall. _They didn't suit her at all_ , he thought as he lifted them and looked them over. He unsheathed one, his eye scanning over the blade with a frown before shaking his head and replacing it. _The color's all wrong_ , he thought, walking out of the bathing room with the clothing and swords in his arms.

  
"Aniki," a few of his crew came toward him, looking both nervous and excited, making him frown.

  
"What?" he asked cautiously, watching them with a narrow eye.

  
"We were wondering what Lady Max was to you?" the oldest one asked, making him sigh.

  
_There it is_ , he thought, giving the men an unamused look, "Why?"

  
The youngest of them shrugged, "you just seem really fond of her, is all."

  
"She's got spunk and her own code that she sticks to," he admitted, "I like that. But that doesn't mean that she's anything spacific to me."

  
The men glanced at one another before the last one spoke, "but, the way you look at her..."

  
"How do I look at her?" he growled, turning to glare at the three men.

  
"Like she's precious to you," the oldest man said without fear. He had been with Chosokabe long enough to know that the warlord wouldn't hurt them over a few words, especially if they were true.

  
Chosokabe watched him for a few moment before sighing, "yeah, so?" They blinked at him, surprised that he would admit to it. "Maybe she is," he mused, half to himself, half to them.

  
They glanced at one another again before the third man gave Chosokabe a grin, "so, when's the wedding?"

  
Chosokabe clicked his tongue, giving them a glare that only made them smile, "get the hell out of here you sons a bitches!" he growled, only to sigh as they walked away laughing. He took a deep breath, walking to his room before opening the door and taking the clothing to a basket for laundry. He sat in a chair, looking over the hilts of the swords with a narrow eye before glancing past them to Max's sleeping form, "what color suits you the most, firework?" he whispered to the swords, making them vibrate in his hand. He looked at the swords before smiling, "I see."


	16. Nightmare

 

_She ran. She ran as fast as her legs could take her but it wasn't fast enough. He was always a few steps behind, laughing that he would get her and kill her for disobeying. She turned, glancing back as she ran, even as she screamed to herself not to. Those red eyes burrowed into her, freezing her in place as his long, talon like fingers wrapped around her neck, choking the life from her. She couldn't breathe and clawed at his hands, wishing and praying for someone, anyone, to save her._

  
_"Help...Me..." she managed to hiss out as Oda lifted his claws high above his head, laughing his demonic laugh as he brought it down toward her. She closed her eyes tight, trying to scream against her closed airway._

 

  
"Max! Damn it, woman, WAKE UP!" she heard Chosokabe's voice as someone shook her, pulling her from the claws of that demon king.

  
She took several deep breaths, like the choking had followed her out of the dream, and blinked at Chosokabe as he leaned over her. She swallowed, her breathing slowed enough for her to focus, "Chosokabe..." she felt her eyes start to tear up before she shot up from the bed, wrapping her arms around his large chest and burying her face against his pecs.

  
He grunted against the suddenness of her hugging him, before sighing and wrapping his arms around her, stroking her hair as she cried against his chest. She had started mumbling something before thrashing about in the bed, screaming and calling out from help before she just stopped breathing. It sounded like she was choking but he couldn't see anything, which scared the shit out of him as he tried to wake her up. He took a deep breath, calming himself down as he tried to calm her down. "It's okay, Max. It's okay. I'm right here," he whispered to her, holding her tight as he closed his eye, reassuring himself that she was alright, "you're safe."

  
She sniffled, hugging him like he would anchor her to the real world as she tried to calm down. She knew she was trembling, but she couldn't help it, "I thought I was going to die that time," she mumbled against his chest, making him glance down at her.

  
"So, you've been having nightmares, huh?" he asked, watching the top of her head as she nodded, "when you told us that, we thought they were just...normal nightmares, not ones that were literally trying to kill you."

  
She swallowed and leaned back a little, licking her lips as she looked down at his, now wet, chest, "usually I just wake up screaming, but this one," she shook her head, "there was something different about it. Like Nobunaga was actually in the dream."

  
Chosokabe frowned, narrowing his eye at her, "have you told anyone how bad these nightmares are?" he asked, lifting her chin to look her in the eye as she shook her head.   
She looked more tired than when she fell asleep, "no. I thought I could just get past them," she said, wiping away the snot under her nose, "I guess not."

  
Chosokabe sighed and shook his head, glancing down at the floor for a moment before giving himself a nod, "well, only one way to keep you alseep," he said, getting wide eyes from the woman, making him chuckle, "not sex...unless..." the glare she gave him stopped his words, making him smile at her, "I meant just sleep." She watched him for a moment, trying to decide if it was the best course of action before he snorted, "I'm not giving you a choice, Max," he growled, moving up to lay on the edge of the bed beside her, "you not getting any sleep will be more of a danger to everyone than if you and I slept together."

  
She took a deep breath and nodded, knowing that he wouldn't take no for an answer. He didn't try to get below the blankets, reminding her that he wasn't a pig like most men. She lay back down, rolling onto her side as he moved closer, wrapping his arm around her and holding her close. She took a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh as she lay her hand on his on her stomach. He chuckled, sending warmth down her neck as she flet him lean up and forward.

  
"You keep making those noises, I won't be able to keep control of myself, Maxine," he whispered in a low growl, sending a shiver down her spine. He turned his hand slightly, letting her hand fall into his before he gave it a gentle squeeze. It wasn't long before she was asleep again, making him smile as he pulled her tight against his chest. _She's so small_ , he thought as he inhaled the scent of her hair as he lay behind her, _I'll watch over you, Fallen Angel_.

  
The next time she started to fuss, his eye slid open as he pulled her tight against his chest, putting his forehead to the back of her head as he whispered, "I'm here, little siren. Just let me at him." That seemed to calm the nightmare and put her back to sleep, making him smile.

  
Morning came, bringing Chosokabe's eye open with the sunlight flowing in from the window. He yawned, leaning up to look at Max as she slept peacefully. He smiled, brushing his fingers through her hair as she sighed in her sleep. He leaned forward, gently putting his lips against her temple before rolling over. He got to his feet and stretched, yawning again as he glanced at the swords sitting on the table where the map was. He went to the swords, lifting them to look over the wrapping he did around the handles. He had found a light blue silk ribbon and a purple silk ribbon that he laced together as he braided them around one of the hilts, making a beautiful blend of purple and blue that made him think of her. _You're more than one color, little siren,_ he thought, glancing back down at the woman with a smile, although flame colors suit you better, I think. A knock on the door brought his attention to it as he yawned and made his way to a chair, "yeah?"

  
One of the younger of his crew walked in, looking a little out of breath, "Aniki," the man paused, seeing Max asleep in the bed before ignoring her, "the One-Eyed Dragon of Ouushu is here. He said, Lady Max was supposed to meet him and his Right Eye at the battlefield," he said, sounding nervous.

  
Chosokabe smirked as he yawned, flopping down in the chair before shaking his head, "tell him that we've met our quota of Dragons and another head on my wall would just be boasting," he said, lifting the second sword from the table and searching through the papers for the orange silk ribbon and the yellow silk ribbon he had found the night before.   
"But...Captain..." the young man stammered as Masamune walked through the door, uninvited.

  
"I was fine with her stopping training as long as she was at the battlefield by dawn," Masamune's voice was a growl.

  
Chosokabe gave the man a glare before sitting in the chair to unravel the braiding around the hilt of the second sword, "she barely slept since coming here. I got to see first hand what the nightmares were," he said, as Masamune glanced at the woman still sound asleep in bed.

  
"That bad, huh?" he asked, turning his gaze to study the Ogre of the Western Sea. He looked like he barely slept a wink.

  
Chosokabe snorted, "her nightmare was literally choking the life out of her. I stayed awake so she could sleep."

  
Masamune sighed, rubbing the back of his head as he looked at Max, frowning for a second before glancing at Chosokabe, "maybe one day off to catch up on sleep wouldn't be too bad," he said, making it sound like he had planned it, "I want her at her best."

  
Chosokabe smirked as he started to weave and braid the orange and yellow ribbons around the hilt, "you're too kind, dragon breath," he said, getting a smile from the other man.

  
Masamune started to leave, glancing at Max for a moment before giving a sigh, "hey, Ogre," he said, making Chosokabe pause what he was doing, "if you hurt her, I'll kill you with my bare hands."

  
Chosokabe smiled down at the sword in his hand, "if I hurt her, I'll let you," he said, going back to what he was doing.

  
Masamune gave a small smile before leaving the room.


	17. *LEMON*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote the Lemons of this story so that if you didn't want to read them and wanted to skip to the next chapter, you could without missing any of the story. I figured that was easier for people who don't like reading Lemons.
> 
> Fair warning. The language does get graphic, for those who are going to read it. It's a lemon, what else would you expect.

 

Max slowly opened her eyes, blinking the sleep from her eyes as she sat up in the bed, stretching a yawning. She sleepily glanced around the room, smiling at the hues of purple that decorated Chosokabe's bedroom. Her eyes settled on the swords leaning against the beside table. She blinked a few times at the new ribbons wrapped around the sword hilts, making her smile as she slid out of bed and took hold of the one with orange and yellow. She unsheathed it a couple of inches, smiling at her reflection as something firey flashed across the blade, smiling back at her. She squinted at the blade before shrugging and replacing it. She set it across her lap and lifted the other one, unsheathing it to feel a slight chill coming from the blade, making her shiver slightly before resheathing it. She took a deep breath, laying them on the bed side by side before standing and stretching. She glanced around the room for some clothes before her eyes fell on the wardrobe against the wall, making her smile as she went to it. She opened the wardrobe, grinning at all the shirts before shaking her head. _Why does Chosokabe have so many shirts if he never wears any?_ she thought as she pulled a really long shirt from the wardrobe and pulled it over her head, wrapping the arms around to make a halter top. She smiled at how long it was, reaching down slightly above her knee before she found a belt and sinched it at the waist, making a dress out of his shirt.

  
Chosokabe paused in the doorway, his eye scanning the room before falling on Max as she leaned over the map on the table. His eye moved over her as he licked his lips, wondering how she could make his shirt look so good. He gently set the tray of tea and dumplings down on the side table before glancing at the swords sitting on the bed. They lay there, patiently, like they were waiting. There was something about those blades that made him almost not want her to have them, but he suspected that they would help her more than hinder her. He smirked, moving across the room as quietly as possible to stand behind her. He licked his lips, leaning forward as he ran his hand across her rump, making her squeal in surprise and jump away from him. He grinned at her as she turned and smacked his arm.

  
"Mother fucker," she growled, glaring up at him before starting across the room.

  
He grabbed her arm, jerking her around and into his body as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her to him, "I don't remember saying you could have another one of my shirts," he growled down at her, making her snort at him.

  
"You don't wear shirts," she pointed out, poking him in the nose, "so I don't know what the hell you're bitching about."

  
He shrugged, "you never know. I might need that spacific shirt for something," he said, his eye sparkling at her as he smiled down at her.

  
She narrowed her eyes at him, making him chuckle, "what could you possibly need a spacific shirt for?" she asked, leaning back as she folded her arms over her chest.

  
He gave her a deviant smile as his hands wandered down to her hips, slowly walking the cloth into a ball in his hands, "maybe I just want it off of you," he growled, leaning his head down to where their lips were a few inches apart, "that's what I need the shirt for."

  
Max's breath quickened as her mouth became dry, making her swallow to get rid of the cotton as she put her hands against his chest, "Chosokabe..." his name came out in a breath as his fingers grazed the skin on her hip, making him growl before his lips captured hers, bringing a moan from her mouth. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him more into the kiss as his hands slid down to cup her ass and lift her from the ground, making her squeak in surprise against his lips. His tongue probbed her mouth, wrestling her tongue as they twirled between their mouths. He turned, putting her on the edge of the table as he pressed himself against her, holding her tight against his body while she pushed the jacket from his shoulders, her nails raking against his shoulders and arms, making him growl against her lips as he pressed his lips harder against her's. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling his body closer to her's as he pressed her back and down over the map of Japan, his kisses becoming desperate and heated as he pulled away, long enough to catch a gulp of air before kissing his way down her jaw and throat, pulling a groan from her as she laced her fingers in his wild silver hair. She arched her back as his tongue found her collarbone, licking a long, smooth trail back up her throat to her earlobe. He flicked his tongue out, pulling her earlobe into his mouth as he nibbled, making her gasp and moan in his ear. "Chosokabe," she gasped as his hand slid around to her front and between her legs, sliding his fingers between her lips. She gasped, her finger nails digging into his shoulder as she gave a little moan of delight while his fingers pumped in and out of her.

  
He grinned, releasing her earlobe as he put his lips against her ear, "tell me you want it, Maxine," he growled, making her groan at him, "tell me you want me to take you."

  
She arched her back, her breath coming out in ragged gasps as he pumped his fingers into her, "Cho..so..kab...e..." she gasped, biting her bottom lip as her nails bit into his shoulders, trying to contain a cry of pleasure against the pressure building in her lower abdomen.

  
He gave her a low sigh that sounded like a growl as he removed his fingers, standing straight with her legs still wrapped around his waist. Her arms had dropped down above her head as she lay there gasping against the sudden lose of his fingers inside her and his body covering her's. He folded his arms over his chest and narrowed his bright blue eye, watching her with a disinterested smirk as she blinked up at him. She leaned up with her elbows behind her, glaring at him with angry, unsatisfied emerald eyes.

  
"Why'd you stop?" she asked, her voice still breathy.

  
He blinked at her before shrugging and glancing toward the window, "I got bored," he mumbled, his eye glancing at her as he smirked.

  
She snorted, sitting up and giving his chest a hard smack, making him grunt, "then go away and let me finish myself," she growled, her mouth saying what she was thinking.

  
A wicked grin spread across his face as he turned to look at her fully, "can I watch," he asked, his eye sparkling at her as he leaned forward with his hands on the table on either side of her hips.

  
She snorted, narrowing her eyes at him before shaking her head, "if you got bored doing it, then you aren't allowed to watch," she said, maintaining her anger as she glared at him.

  
His grin widened as he leaned closer, putting his lips a few inches from her's, "persuade me to continue then," he growled, his breath hot against her lips.

  
She bite back a sigh and swallowed, giving his chest a push, "fine, brute," she mumbled, her voice thick and strained, making him grin at her as he took a step back.

  
She slid to the edge of the table and dropped to her knees, making him groan as she pulled his dick out through the slit in his pants. She blinked, ignoring how large he was before leaning foward and flicking her tongue against the head. He gasped above her, leaning forward to catch himself on the edge of the table as she licked up the shaft of his dick, rolling her tongue over head before licking back down. He groaned, his eye closing against the feel of her mouth on him as he gripped the table. Max smiled before taking him into her mouth, sliding her tongue along the bottom of his dick as she exhaled through her nose, remembering the class her ex made her take. She forced herself to take him until his head bumped against the back of her throat. She swallowed, bringing a raspy gasp from the pirate and a groan from the wooden table where he gripped, before she slowly slid him most of the way out of her mouth, inhaling through her nose as she did. She repeated the process a few times, making him grind his teeth and groan with each sweep of her mouth and tongue. His legs shook from trying to keep himself up, his breath came in ragged gasps as she worked on him and his eye was unfocused as he tried to watch her. She sped up the process, making him moan and grit his teeth, squeezing his eye shut tight against his own pleasure building.

  
"Oh, Max," he growled through his teeth, ducking his head slightly before throwing it back as the pleasure built...and then suddenly stopped. He blinked, his head moving down to look at the woman as she stood with a sigh, leaning back against the table between his hands, with her ankles crossed. She glanced off toward the window, looking like a woman daydreaming as he leaned forward, glaring at her. "Why did you stop?" he growled, his voice thick with need and hunger.

  
She looked at him with sparkling eyes before shrugging and folding her arms over her chest, "I got bored," she sighed, glancing down at the shirt to pick at something that wasn't there.

  
He growled, grabbing her waist and flinging her over his shoulder as she gave a yelp. She laughed, smacking his back a few times as he carried her to the bed and tossed her into the center of it. She scurried backward a few feet before Chosokabe's hands wrapped around her ankles. "Where do you think you're going?" he growled, pulling her back to the edge of the bed as she squeaked in surprise. He tugged his pants down with one hand, holding her ankles so she didn't get away with the other, making her giggle at him. He gave a frustrated growl as he looked down, glaring at the tied belt around his pants.

  
"Having problems, Cho?" she asked, her voice mocking as the sound of a sword being drawn brought his attention up to her. She held the blade with the orange and yellow ribbon out toward him, giving him a grin as she pointed it at him. She leaned up, feeling the sword vibrate in her hand, slightly to the right, like it was guiding her, "mind if I," she swung the sword down, letting it lead her hand as it sliced through the cloth belt around his hips, "cut in?" His pants dropped to the floor after losing the belt, making him blink down at the cloth before looking up at her. Something flashed in the blade of the sword as she slid it back into it's sheath and turned to grin at him. "You're welcome."  
He ran his tongue over his lips as he moved up, sliding his hand up under the shirt she was wearing as a dress before reaching over and unsheathing the sword with the blue and purple ribbon. A cool chill came off of the blade, like it was made of ice, but he ignored it, making a mental note to talk to Max about it later before sliding the blade carefully under the clothes she wore and pulling up quickly, slicing clean through the cloth to leave her exposed. He licked his lips, his bright blue eye roaming over her body with hungry admiration, growling his displeasure as she tried to cover herself up. He brought the sword up, putting it gently against her throat as he held her arms above her head by her wrists. He grinned down at her, putting his face so their noses touched. He watched fear flash through her eyes as he pressed the blade against her neck, his smile fading until he stared, seriously, down to her, positioning himself between her legs as he did.

  
"Max, do you trust me?" he asked, getting a blink from the woman underneath him.

  
She swallowed, seeming to think about that for a moment before taking a deep breath, pressing her bare breats against his chest, "no," she said, getting a smirk from the pirate.

  
"Good," he growled, sliding the blade gently across her throat as he pushed his dick inside her, making her release a half moan half sigh. He groaned at how tight she was around his dick, almost forgetting for a second that he had a blade pressed against her throat. He pumped a couple of times into her, not having the patients to wait for her body to adjust to him, before removing the blade from her throat and tossing it onto the ground beside the bed. Max gave a small sigh of disappointment, making him chuckle, "so, you like the rough stuff, huh?" his gravely voice cooed in her ear as he pumped into her over and over. His grip on her wrists tightened, almost hurting her as he pressed her down into the bed, his hips working harder between her legs, pulling cries from her throat as the head of his dick bounced off her cervix, mixing pain and pleasure into one blur of ecstasy.

  
She cried out, trying to breathe past the building pleasure as he grunted with each thrust. "Chosokabe," she called out, her voice high and breathy as he gritted his teeth, feeling the walls of her pussy start to convulse and tighten around his dick.

  
"Oh God, Max," he growled, leaning more over her as he pumped harder and faster into her.

  
"Chosokabe," she cried out, throwing her head back as she screamed her pleasure from the orgasm.

  
Chosokabe hollered, her pussy tightening around his dick so hard he thought it wouldn't release him. He pushed deeper into her, past the tightness as he hollered, his grip around her wrists tightening as he came hard inside her. He collapsed, feeling completely spent as he released her wrists and slid out of her, pulling a groan from the woman under him. He chuckled, nuzzling her with his nose as he tried to relearn how to breathe. She nuzzled him back, putting their foreheads together as they sleepily stared into one another's eyes. He smiled at her, sliding his arm around her shoulders and twirled his fingers in her hair as she snuggled under him, closing her eyes with her ear against his chest. 


	18. Possessed Swords

 

Chosokabe groaned as he slowly leaned up, his eye focusing on Max as she lay cuddled half under him, sleeping soundly with her arm wrapped around his upper back and ribs. He smiled down at her, brushing his fingers across her forehead as he remenessed about earlier in the day. His smile widened at the memory, making him sigh with relief and happiness as Max started to stir. Her eyelashes fluttered as her eyes slowly opened, focusing on him as he lay his head down and smiled at her, his knuckle stroking the side of her face. "Good morning, little siren," he said, chuckling, "did you sleep alright?"

  
She smiled back gently placing her hand over his as he cupped her cheek, "yeah," she sighed, closing her eyes for a moment to feel the warmth of his hand before looking back at him. She blinked a few times at his frown before he took her fingers in his hand and moved her hand toward him. He lifted her hand, turning it to look at her wrist. She glanced at it as well, her eyes widening at the bruise around her wrist. She lifted her other wrist before giving a small, sheepish smile, making him blink at her as she chuckled, "can't say we didn't have fun," she said, making him smile as he slid his hand down her arm and around her back.

  
"I know I did," he growled, pulling her against his body with a seductive growl, making her giggle.

  
She sighed as he kissed her, sweet and gentle. She smiled at him before rolling up to sit on the edge of the bed, giving him a great view of her back. Her auburn hair tumbling down her back in waves and curls that made him groan at how soft they were. She took a deep breath, getting to her feet with a stretch, making him lick his lips as she moved across the room to his wardrobe. He gave a sigh, rolling out of bed and onto his feet as he stretched, himself, scratching the back of his head while he went to the end of the bed to retrieve his pants. He pulled them on as Max picked out a long shirt, sliding the clothing over her head before doing some strange twisting and tieing of the sleeves, putting her head through the hole the tied sleeves made. She grabbed one of his tie belts and sinching the shirt at the waist, making his shirt into another dress. She smiled to herself, fluffing her hair slightly before turning to look at Chosokabe. He smirked at her, walking toward her as he tied the cloth belt around his hips, holding his pants up. She took a deep breath as he stood in front of her, doubts starting to circle in her mind.

  
"What's wrong, little siren?" he asked, picking up his jacket from the floor and pulling it onto his shoulders.

  
She shrugged, licking her lips as she glanced at the sword still laying on the ground, out of it's sheath. She went to it and picked it up, giving it a sad, apologetic look before sheathing it and setting it next to the other one.

  
"It can't be nothing," Chosokabe said, bringing her attention back to him as he walked toward her, "so, what's wrong?"

  
She took a deep breath, steeling her resolve before looking at him fully, "was what we did a one night thing?"

  
He blinked at her, watching as she watched him, her body confident but her eyes fearful. She was worried he would say yes. He clicked his tongue, giving her a smirk as he put his arm around her, pulling her against his body with a gasp, "with that thing you do with your mouth and tongue, I was hoping not," he said, his voice low and soft.

  
She let out a sigh of relief before giving him that smile he was starting to love, "good, because if it was, I was going to kick your ass," she growled, giving him a punch in the stomach, making him grunt.

  
He snorted, grabbing her arm and jerking her against his body again, making her yelp as he chuckled.

  
They walked down the plank hand in hand, smiling as she leaned her head against his arm, making him smile as they walked. There was no real time limit to where they needed to be, even though they both knew that Masamune and the other warlords would want her to start her training again as soon as she walked onto that field, Chosokabe figured he could keep them from over working her. His eye glanced down at the blades hanging on her hip between them, making him narrow his eyes at them.

 

  
_"Hey, Cho?" she asked, lifting the blades from their resting place, "did you wrap these ribbons around the hilts?"_

  
_He nodded, his mind nervous as to whether she would like them or not, "I figured the different colors suited you best," he explained, watching as she tied them to her belt, "do you like them? Because if you don't..."_

  
_"I love them," she said, cutting him off as she gave him a proud smile._

 

  
He took a deep breath, licking his lips as they paused before the battle field. Max halfway didn't want to go to training today, but she knew she had to if she was going to be more useful than just being able to fix men up if they got injured. She took a deep breath, glancing down at their intertwined fingers before nodding toward the clearing, "if you don't want to hold hands in public, that's fine with me," she said, lowering her eyes to the ground in front of her.

  
Chosokabe clicked his tongue before leading her out of the treeline, "and let the Tiger of Kai keep thinking that you and Sanada are together?!? I don't think so," he growled, pulling her behind him as they moved, "you're my woman."

  
She blinked a few times before smiling and moving to walk beside him, "I'm my own woman," she mumbled, giving him a grin as he shot her a glare.

  
He jerked her into his side as he draped his arm over her shoulders, holding her against him as they came to the edge of the camp, "mine," he growled against her ear, making her shudder. He grinned, planting a kiss on her temple as she steered him toward the tent where her men were.

  
"I have to check on the guys," she said, giving a nod toward the bonfire, "you can go eat if you want and I'll catch up."

  
He gave a nod before giving the side of her head another kiss and walking away, leaving her in front of the tent feeling alone and cold. She took a deep breath and walked into the tent getting waves and cheerful greetings from the men as they lounge about the tent, playing cards and chatting about this or that. She checked on Toto, who was happily beating the older men at checkers, making them frown and complain that he was cheating.

  
"So, Mistress..." Shukunoba started, giving her a grin with sparkling brown eyes, "you look relaxed today."

  
Max frowned at him, folding her arms over her chest as she narrowed her eyes at him, "I had a good night's sleep. So what?"

  
His grin stayed in place as his eyes scanned over the hilts of the swords on her hips before slowly moving up to her, "how good?"

  
She blinked at him before rolling her eyes, "I slept, which is an accomplishment," she said, refilling a bottle of water and tossing it at him, "here, drown yourself."

  
Shukunoba chuckled as he looked over the bottle of water, "your relationship with the Ogre of the Western Sea isn't as complicated as you thought, huh?"

  
She paused before turning to glare at him, "what the hell is that supposed to mean?" she growled, leaning toward him slightly.

  
He shrugged, grinning at her before taking several gulps of water, "nothing."

  
She snorted, "that's what I thought," she growled before heading for the exit.

  
"Give your lover a kiss from us," Shukunoba called, making kissing noises at her.

  
She clicked her tongue and glared back at him, "I ain't kissing nobody for you, Shu!" she snarled, getting laughs from the men, "now, I want y'all to start training today, since you have time to think about my sex life."

  
Most of the men gave a nod while other smiled and chuckled as she left the tent. She took a deep breath as she walked, putting her hand to rest on the hilt of the orange and yellow ribboned hilt. It vibrated slightly under her hand, feeling warm as her fingers carressed the end of the hilt. She smiled at the blades and their new, decorations, wondering how long it had taken Chosokabe to braid the ribbons around the hilts. She wasn't usually one that worried about symbolism, but this time was all about symbols and what they stood for. She lifted her head, putting her shoulders back as she walked, confident with the blades on her hip. Max walked around the edge of the tents, coming to the bonfire where several men were dishing out rice porrage, making her frown. She was suddenly glad that she ate the cold dumplings Chosokabe had brought her. The memory of their afternoon the day before made her lick her lips. She had to stifle a moan as she took a seat between Chosokabe and Kojuro.

  
"Not eating today, Lady Max?" Shingen asked, giving her a smile as he finished off his bowl of porrage.

  
Max shook her head, frowning at the thought, "after pancakes and stew, sticky rice porrage just makes me sad," she said, getting a sigh from Kojuro.

  
"It was delicious," he said, suddenly not wanting to eat what was in his bowl, "now I'm sad about it."

  
Max smiled and gave him a shrug, "maybe I'll make something for everyone later," she said, narrowing her eyes at Masamune, "as long as you jerks don't work me too hard."

  
Masamune gave her an innocent wide eye, "I would never!"

  
She snorted, folding her arms over her chest as she glared at him, "bull shit," she growled, getting chuckles from the men sitting around the area.

  
Kenshin smiled as Max and Masamune teased and joked with one another, going back and forth across the way. His eyes moved to the hilts of her new swords, narrowing at the different colors. It was unusual for someone to carry around two swords that didn't have similar colors, but it seemed to suit her. The swords themselves seemed to gleam with joy and anticipation, the colors slightly brightening before dulling to normal. Kenshin tilted his head down slightly, watching the blades carefully before blinking back into the conversation.

  
"...actually learn to attack," Max was saying, looking at Kojuro as he frowned and shook his head.

  
"When you get use to blocking and defending yourself, then we will move on to attacking," he said, putting the bowl down near his feet, "but until then, you will only be learning defense."

  
Max huffed at him, narrowing her eyes into a glare, "how the hell do you expect me to fight anybody if the only thing I know how to do is block?" she asked, started to get agitated.

  
Chosokabe felt the blades on her hip vibrate, making him glance down at them. They seemed to anticipate a fight and were getting excited. He took a slow breath, glancing at Max as she glared at Kojuro, who only glared back. Max wouldn't pull a blade on someone over an arguement, he told himself, turning back to his porrage while watching her argue with Kojuro out of the corner of his eye.

  
"When I am satisfied that you are able to defend yourself without assistance, then you will be taught to attack," Kojuro growled back as he got to his feet, "but until then, teaching you to attack first will only get you killed."

  
Max glared up at him as he walked past her, heading for the area that was now used for training. She growled, kicking her feet at a rock stuck in the ground as she glared at it. It wasn't like she didn't understand that she needed to know how to defend herself, she just wanted to learn everything at once, like they wanted her to and now, they were keeping her from doing that. It made her frustrated and angry. _Why tell me that I have to learn quick and then when I try tell me to wait_ , she thought, grinding her teeth as she gripped her knees with her fingers.

  
"Lady Max?" Yukimura's voice made her blink and glance at him as he stood and came to sit next to her. She gave him a raised eyebrow before he took her hand and lifted it, showing more clearly the bruise around her wrist. She blinked, her eyes going wide before she pulled her hand back, folding her arms over her chest to hide the bruises.

  
"That's...that's nothing...It's just a...I tripped and fell..." she stammered, looking down at the ground with red cheeks. _Why did you have to notice?_

  
"Must have been some fall," Masamune said, glancing at Chosokabe with a knowing grin.

  
She snorted, glaring at him, "it was," she growled, her cheeks still red as the memories came rushing back. She bit the inside of her cheek as she shook her head, "I just have to be more careful when I walk, is all."

  
"Yes. One must be careful when they walk," Kenshin said, giving her a knowing smile as well.

  
Chosokabe couldn't help but grin as Max tried to cover up their tryst with an awful excuse. _She's really bad at lying_ , he thought as she gave Masamune a glare for another comment he made.

  
"So, let me get this straight," Sasuke's voice made her jump before she turned to glare at the grinning ninja, "you were walking and tripped and fell overboard. Chosokabe grabbed you to keep you from falling into the water and drowning and that's why you have bruises on your wrists."

  
Max took a breath and gave a stiff nod, "yes."

  
He watched her for a moment, still grinning before he shrugged, "makes sense to me," he said, walking around the group to sit next to Kasuga.

  
"It doesn't make sense for you to have bruises on both your wrists though, if he just reached out and grabbed you before you fell," the female ninja pointed out, making Max give her wide shut-the-hell-up eyes.

  
Sasuke hummed to himself, putting his finger to his chin, "you know, I think you may have something there."

  
Max groaned, bending in half and covering her head with her arms, "why me," she mumbled into her lap, closing her eyes tight as Masamune laughed.

  
"You're a terrible liar," Chosokabe's voice laughed near her ear, bringing her head up slightly to glare at him out of the corner of her eye.

  
"So, what really happened then?" Shingen asked, getting another groan from the woman as she tried to shrink into her own lap.

  
"I believe our little fallen star had herself a tryst," Kenshin said, the laughter apparent in his voice.

  
"And from the bruises, I'd say it wasn't gentle," Sasuke said, making her lift her head and glare at him.

  
Shingen frowned before looking at Yukimura, "Yukimura, if you are going to have a tryst with your betrothed, you should be gentle, after all, woman are as beautiful and delicate as flowers."

  
Max blinked, sitting up straight and glaring at Shingen, "I already told you, Shin. Yukimura and I are NOT together," she growled, leaning forward slightly, "and I'm not a fucking flower."

  
Masamune smiled and shook his head as he stood, "it's no use trying to convince old man Takeda that you aren't with Yukimura, so you might as well give up."

  
Max snorted, giving him a glare as well, "oh yeah?" she challenged, turning and jerking Chosokabe around and down by his jacket, covering his lips with her's as he grunted against the suddenness of it. she pulled back, leaving him blinking at her as she turned to face Shingen with a grin that quickly wilted as he waved it away.

  
"It's no use trying to make Yukimura jealous by kissing another man," Shingen said with a laugh, like she was trying to play a trick on him and he caught it.

  
She blinked as he stood and started toward the battlefield, leaving her confused, "what the fuck just happened?" she asked, staring at the spot Shingen use sat.

  
Masamune sighed, putting his hand on her shoulder as he leaned down to be eye to eye with her, "you lost before you could display your claws," he said, chuckling as he stood and followed Shingen.

  
She closed her eyes and sighed, leaning back onto Chosokabe as she did, "fuck my life," she mumbled, making the man at her back chuckle.

  
"So," Yukimura started, rubbing the back of his head as he looked at Max leaning against the Ogre of the Western Sea, "are you and Lord Chosokabe betrothed?"

  
Max blinked at that. She didn't know what they called dating in this time, but she knew they weren't betrothed, that was for sure. Or...maybe they were? She furrowed her brow, not knowing how to answer Yukimura without having to explain it. Luckily, Chosokabe had the answer, turning his body so she was leaning against his chest as he draped his arm over her.

  
"We aren't betrothed, but," he wrapped his arm diagnally across her chest and stomach, pulling her closer to him as he glared at Yukimura, "she's mine, Young Cub of Kai. So don't get any funny ideas."

  
She clicked her tongue, glancing over her shoulder at him with narrow eyes, "I ain't nobody's property, fucking manimal," she growled, shoving her elbow into his gut, making him grunt.

  
He chuckled, giving her a small squeeze before looking at Yukimura with challenging eyes. Yukimura watched them for a moment, feeling a little sad that Max's lover was Chosokabe but it also made him happy. She worked hard to help others and Chosokabe's reputation said that he also worked hard to help those that needed it the most. He glanced over her face as she glared over her shoulder at the Ogre of the Western Sea and even that had a happiness to it that he hadn't seen from her before. He smiled and gave a small nod as he stood getting a confused blink from the woman. "I hope you two find great happiness," he said, giving them another smile before walking toward the training area.

  
Max blinked as Chosokabe gave a sigh, pulling his arm up and glancing toward the way Yukimura had gone as he clicked his tongue. "I was hoping he would want to fight over you," he grumbled, getting a snort from the woman.

  
She stood, putting her hand on his shoulder to help her to her feet before leaning forward and flicking his nose, "you seriously over estimate how desireable I am, Cho," she said, her voice low as she stood straight and looked at Kenshin, who was watching them with a thoughtful smile. She frowned, turning to glare at him, "what the hell are you smiling at, War God," she growled, getting a chuckle from the man as he stood.

  
He walked to her and placed his hand on her shoulder, giving her a gentle smile, "I hope you do not lose that fire when you come face to face with Oda Nobunaga, Lady Maxine," he said, making her eyes widen before she shook her head, hugging herself as if she was cold.

  
"I don't want to face that mother fucker ever again, if I can help it," she said, glancing off toward the battlefield. One of the swords on her hip heated up, but it was like the heat from the sword slid through her body to warm her very soul, making her glance down. She blinked at the orange and yellow braided hilt, narrowing her eyes at it while it seemed to glow before dieing down to normal. She frowned, reaching to touch it and was surprised to feel it cool to the touch, like it wasn't glowing and warm a few seconds ago. "What the hell kind of swords are these?" she whispered aloud.

  
Kenshin watched her examine the swords before smiling, "I don't know," he said, bringing her eyes up to him, "what kind of swords do you want them to be?"

  
She blinked, glancing back down at the swords as they seemed to still, waiting for her answer, "swords that protect," she said, giving the swords a small smile.

  
The swords vibrated on her hip, as if agreeing to some secret oath. Kenshin gave her a nod before turning for the training area, "then you will have to learn everything about sword fighting, not just the parts you want to learn."

  
She sighed and gave a nod, "I know," she said, glancing at Chosokabe as he stood, "it's going to be a pain in the ass, but I know."

  
Kenshin gave a nod, "good. That is the first step," he said before walking away.

  
Max blinked at him, "wait. FIRST step?" she asked, catching up to him as she leaned forward to glare at him, "I thought I already did the first step by having swords."

  
Max huffed, trying to catch her breath as Kojuro lunged at her, bringing his sword down quickly before twisting it and sliding it up the blade she used to block. She jumped back, ready to block another as he rushed forward, his sword down with the tip just above the ground before he swung it up, knocking the sword from her hand for a seventh time. Max growled, glaring at the blade as it shined at her from the grassy area a few feet away. She lifted her chin as Kojuro brought to blade up, pointing it at her throat just under her chin. He let out a slow breath before lowering the blade to his side, shaking his head as she went to pick up the sword.

  
"Tighten your grip," he said, his voice a growl.

  
She snorted, turning to face him with the warm blade in her hand, "if I tighten my grip any harder, my hand will fuse with the hilt and blocking will hurt," she growled back, looking at the orange and yellow hilt before shaking her head. The purple and blue braided hilt on her hip vibrated, releasing a chill into her body as if to tell her to use it. She sighed and shook her head, feeling the one in her hands heat up until she yelped and dropped it. She blew on her hand, looking at the red marks left by the hilt before glaring down at the blade.

  
Masamune smirked as he stepped up in front of her, lifting the sword from the grass before looking it over, "did you do the braiding?" he asked, looking at her with his single royal blue eye.

  
She shook her head as he handed the sword back to her, "no, Chosokabe did it for me while I was passed out," she said, nodding toward the pirate as he sat on a stool, watching her.

  
Masamune's smirk turned into a grin as he glanced at Chosokabe, making him frown, "he did, did he?" he said, his voice thoughtful before his eye moved back toward the swords Max wielded. The one on her hip seemed to steam within the sheath, making him narrow his eye for a moment before her yelp brought his attention to the sword dropping to the ground. He smirked at her as he shook his head and picked the blade up once again, "how are you supposed to learn if you keep dropping the swords?"

  
She glared at him, holding her hand up to show him bright red burn marks with the shapes of the braiding on the hilt, "it keeps burning me," she growled, snatching the blade from Masamune before shoving it back into the sheath, "I'm not practicing with a sword that burns me for no fucking reason."

  
Masamune watched her glare at the orange and yellow braiding before nodding toward the one that had stopped steaming, "why don't you use that one?" he asked, making her sigh and run her hand through her hair.

  
"I'm starting to get tired, actually," she said, glancing at Kojuro as he stood, ready to continue the lesson, "and Kojuro's starting to look angry."

  
Masamune glanced at Kojuro before chuckling, "that's just how he looks," he said, getting a frown from the woman, "come on. Just try it with the other sword. If that doesn't work out, we'll take a break."

  
She sighed, but gave a nod as she moved to stand in front of Kojuro. She slid the sword out of it's sheath and readied herself. She didn't want to practice anymore, but she knew she had to if she was going to stand any chance of facing Oda. She took a deep breath as Kojuro rushed forward, his speed picking up, making her widen her eyes before squeezing them shut, the blade moving her hand. The sound of metal on metal brought her eyes slowly open, looking past the crossed blades to Kojuro as he narrowed his eyes at her and lept back a pace before rushing forward again, bringing his sword up. She heard something in her head as the blade moved her hand down, blocking the first blow before twisting around his blade and jutting forward. He blinked, his eyes widening for half a second before he tilted his head to the side, barely dodging the point of her sword. He looked past the blade to Max, who was looking shocked and a little frightened before the blade started to move toward his neck. Kojuro lifted her sword, blocking the next attack before pushing it back and moving back a couple of paces. He watched her as she stared down at the sword with wide eyes, like she didn't know what was happening.

  
He frowned at her, pointing his own sword, "I said, only defense," he growled, making her look at him before lowering her eyes back to the sword.

  
"I'm sorry," she said as she studied the blade. She blinked at a cool pair of eyes looking out at her before they disappeared. She lifted the sword and turned it, furrowing her brow at the sword as the studied it.

  
"Are you ready, Maxine Star?" he growled, bringing her attention back to him.

  
"Yeah," she said hesitantly, "I'm ready."

  
She prepared herself, holding the hilt with both hands as Kojuro rushing forward again, this time, going low and fast. Again, the sword lead her hand, dropping low and flipping the tip up, stopping his advance as the tip touched his throat. Max swallowed, her body frozen at the sight of Kojuro's surprised eyes. She took a shallow inhale before stumbling back a couple of paces, looking back down at the sword as Kojuro stood straight, his dark eyes narrowed at her.

  
Shingen narrowed his eyes at the scene, watching as Max tried to stammer out an apology before he glanced at Kenshin, "you don't think those swords are possessed, do you?" Shingen asked his rival.

  
Kenshin took a deep breath, slowly releasing it before lowering his eyes to the ground, "I'm not sure, but they seem to be."

  
Chosokabe turned his hearing to the two older warlords upon hearing this. _I knew there was something strange about those blades_ , he thought.

  
"By the spirited of those that once possessed them in life, perhaps?" Shingen asked, putting his finger and thumb to his chin.

  
Kenshin shrugged, "perhaps, but who's to say," he said, looking at Max as she desperately waved toward the blade, "if they are, then we can only wait until something happens that either helps or hurts Max."

  
Shingen gave a nod, "I agree," he said, watching as she readied herself again, saying something to the sword before turning to face Kojuro, "there isn't much else we can do if the swords have chosen her to wield them."

  
Chosokabe swallowed as he watched Max parry a couple of Kojuro's attacks, knocking him away with the last one. _They better not hurt her or I'll have them melted down and turning into an anchor,_ he thought, letting his breath out in a huff as he leaned forward to watch her.

  
Masamune narrowed his eye at the way she moved, like she wasn't in control of the sword at all. _Or like it's leading her around_ , he thought, snorting at that before the image of the blade she now wielded steaming out of it's sheath made him rethink. He watched her move, her arms jerking around before her body caught up to the rest of her. He shook his head, walking back to where the other warlords were standing. 


	19. To the Edge

 

Max fell back against the grass as she lay in the evening light. Her arms were sore and vibrating from the training and her legs refused to move farther than she already was. She closed her eyes, slowing her breathing as she listened to the sounds of the area. Men talking and laughing off in the distance while the birds called goodnight to one another in the trees. The sound of someone walking up on her brought her eyelids up to look at Chosokabe as he grinned down at her.

  
"Aww, did the little siren get tired?" he asked, a teasing glint in his eye.

  
She gave him an unamused stare before rolling her eyes and letting her eyelids drop back into place, "you try being lead around by your sword and see how you feel when it's over," she growled, making his grin faulter.

  
He sighed and shook his head as he took a seat next to her, "so, they really are possessed," he said to himself aloud.

  
Max slowly opened her eyes before turning her head to look at him, "what is?"

  
He looked down at her as he turned his body, leaning on his elbow over her, "you're swords. Some are saying that they're possessed," he said, watching her reaction with a calculating bright blue eye.

  
She took a deep breath and yawned, "as long as they don't get me killed, or in anymore trouble, I don't care," she said, putting her hands behind her head as she looked up at the darkening sky.

  
Chosokabe clicked his tongue, leaning over her to put his elbow on the other side of her head. She blinked up at him before smiling, as if she expected him to do something. He leaned down, brushing her nose with his as he looked her in the eye, "if they hurt you, I'll melt them down into an anchor and toss them into the deepest part of the sea," he growled, making the swords become eerily still against her hip when a few seconds ago they vibrated with satisfaction.

  
Max giggled, sliding her arms up and around his neck, "I think they know you'll do it," she said, making him smirk.

  
"Good," he growled before capturing her mouth with his. He slowly pulled away, bring a sigh from her lips as well. He ran his tongue over his lips as he grinned down at her with a deviant glint in his eye, "your lips are so sweet," he moaned, leaning down to kiss her again as she blushed, making his grin widen, "I want more."

  
"Cho..." she giggled, giving his chest a smack that made him chuckle as he kissed her again.

  
"I apologize for interupting," Max let out a frustrated growl as Chosokabe did, both looking up at Motonari as he stood a few feet from them, glaring down at them with dark slits. Max sighed as Chosokabe got to his feet, helping her up as well before turning to glare at Motonari.

  
"What do you want, Mori?" Chosokabe asked, his voice sounding as angry as he was.

  
Motonari gave Chosokabe a slow blink before looking at Max, "I wish to speak with you privately, Fallen Star."

  
Max glared at him as she shook her head, "I already told you that I wasn't going to talk to you, privately or otherwise, so stop trying," she snarled, taking Chosokabe's hand before starting to walk toward the bonfire.

  
"You will listen to what I have to say," Motonari said, his low voice a growl before the sound of a gun being fired echoed through the field.

  
Chosokabe grunted, stumbling a couple of steps before falling to his knees as Max turned to stare, wide eyed at the blood blossoming on his chest. She moved forward, instantly putting her hand to his wound to try to stop the bleeding as he leaned his forehead against her's.

  
"Cho!" she cried out, her heart racing as she tried to stop the bleeding, "you'll be alright. I'll get you fixed up and then I'll kill him."

  
His chuckle turned into a cough as blood bubbled up from his lungs, "I'm...fine..." he hissed, making her glare at him.

  
"The hell you are," she growled, putting pressure against the wound as she ripped the end of the shirt/dress she wore. She pressed the cloth into the wound as the swords on her hip vibrated, calling for revenge. She took a deep breath, fighting back the tears as she bit her lower lip, "you're alright. You're going to be alright."

  
"Who're you trying to convince, Siren, me or you?" he asked, giving her a bloody grin before coughing up more blood.

  
She snorted, "don't talk, jerk," she grumbled through the tears threatening to fall.

  
"Now, if you don't mind, Fallen Star," Motonari said, training the gun on Chosokabe, "come with me, or I will Chosokabe Motochika."

  
She glared past Chosokabe, "what kind of monster shoots someone in the back?" she asked, her anger overriding her fear and sadness.

  
Motonari frowned, "it was a nessecary calculation," he said, his sharp eyes on her, "this was the only way I could convince you to speak with me. Now, Fallen Star, if you don't mind..."

  
Max glare at him before Chosokabe placed his hand on her shoulder, turning her attention to him, "go with him," he said, making her eyes widen before she shook her head. He lowered his voice so that only she could hear him, "Max, if I know anything about Mori, he won't kill you until you do what he wants and all he wants right now is to talk. Listen to him and tell him you'll think about whatever offer he'll give you, then he'll let you go. You don't have to agree to anything."

  
She put her forehead to his, "what if he kills you as we're walking away?" she asked, her voice low as well as the tears broke free and raced down her cheeks, "I couldn't..."

  
He raised his hand, cupping her cheek as he rubbed his thumb across the tear trail, "the Ogre of the Western Sea isn't going to die that easily," he said, giving her a smile, "I'll be rescuing you in no time, little siren."

  
She looked him in the eye before licking her lips and giving a nod. She stood, taking a deep breath before opening her mouth to speak. The swords on her hip became hot and cold, both chilling and burning her.

  
_**Don't give in!**_ a deep, harsh voice echoed in her head.

  
She blinked, her mouth snapping shut as she listened to the voice.

  
_He'll kill you and your love anyway, if you say no,_ another voice echoed in her head. This one cool and smooth like it was made of silk.

  
She furrowed her brow at the ground, glancing down at Chosokabe as his hand held the torn cloth to his chest. _What am I suppsed to do?_ she thought, feeling helpless as she looked back up at Motonari, who was watching her with a smug smile.

  
_**Put us on your back and draw us**_ , the harsh voice said, making her blink down at the hilt of the swords, now glowing faintly.

  
_We'll take care of the rest,_ the smoothe voice said.

  
She took a deep breath, untieing the swords from her hip and pulling them onto her back, putting the straps crossing across her front. Motonari gave her a raised eyebrow lowering the gun slightly as she drew the swords. He smirked at her, raising the gun back up to point at her.

  
"Max," Chosokabe's voice was strained as he looked up at her, "what are you..."

  
"We're going to take care of this once and for all," she said, looking down at him with a smile, "just rest for a while, Princess."

  
Chosokabe blinked at her before shaking his head, "Max...MAX!" He winced, gritting his teeth against the searing pain from the bullet wound as Max walked around him and toward Motonari. "Damn it!"

  
"You've hurt someone I care about for the last time, Motonari," she growled, feeling the blade in her right hand heating up, "I'm taking you down once and for all."

  
Chosokabe turned to look at her walking toward his rival and she looked...different. The hilts of the swords glowed in her hands, as if preparing to fight. _Please don't_ , he thought as she stood facing Motonari while he tried to struggle to his feet, _you won't be able to live with it if you kill_.

  
Motonari smirked, raising the gun before turning it slightly, pointing at the wounded shoulder. He pulled the trigger only to have his smirk wiped away as the blade in her right hand came up, deflecting the bullet. He blinked, clicking his tongue as he fired off a couple more shots, each being deflected by her swords. Max stood, feeling fear wash through her as the swords moved her arms. _I'm so scared_ , she thought, feeling a wave of warmth sliding up her arm from the blade.

  
_**All will be well, Maxine. We'll protect you and everyone you cherish**_ , the rough male voice said to her, soothing her fears enough for her to move forward. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she started to dance with the blades, swinging them around her body like a couple of deadly batons.

  
_His blood is ours_ , the smoother male voice hissed, sending a chill through her spine as one of the swords caught on something before there was a grunt.

  
Yukimura had returned to the training area, curious as to what was taking Max and Chosokabe so long. He stopped, his eyes going wide at the sight of Chosokabe kneeling on the ground with his hand to a bloodied piece of cloth against his chest and Max attacking Motonari. She moved, almost stiffly, swinging the swords around expertly to cut Motonari's armor clean through. She looked angry and terrified at the same time. She moved forward, swinging her leg around and tripping the warlord, causing him to tumble to the ground. Motonari's gun skidded across the ground, making Yukimura blink at it before looking at Chosokabe as he got to his feet. He gritted his teeth, clutching the cloth against his wound before turning and stumbling toward Max as she raised the blade with the blue and purple ribbon.

  
_Max, I have to stop you before you regret it_ , he thought as he stumbled forward and almost collapsed to his knees. _Max, stop_ , he mentally begged. The first life is always the hardest and the one you most regret. As much as he disliked Motonari, he didn't want the burden of his death to fall on her shoulders. _Siren, please no_ , he thought, his mind racing with her confession to him.

 

  
_"Now will you tell me what's bothering you?" he asked, putting his chin against her temple._

  
_She took a deep breath and swallowed, "I'm scared," she whispered against his neck, "I'm scared I'm going to die. I'm scared everyone's going to die. I'm scared that I'll let everyone down. I'm scared that I won't be able to go back home," she sniffled, feeling the tears burning her eyes again, "I'm scared of everything here. I have this prophecy that I don't know anything about hanging over my head and it feels like it's crushing me," her hands balled into fists against Chosokabe's chest, shaking slightly, "I can't breathe knowing that I'm being watched and looked upon like I can fix every little problem that ever was because I'm the Fallen Star. I'm just one person," she sobbed, burying her face in his neck, "I feel so helpless and alone and heavy."_

  
_He slowly breathed out, smiling gently as he hugged her tight, stroking her hair again, "like you said, you're just one person," he said, a laugh in his voice, "I don't know about this prophecy, but I do know that you are a strong person. You're compassionate, caring and kind, but you've also got claws that are ready to come out a scratch anyone to protect your beliefs and the people you care about."_

  
_She lay against his body, her legs wrapped around his waist with her feet resting on the ground behind him listening while he spoke._

  
_"You have determination like a lot of the men here and that will help with this battle more than you know," he said, smiling down at her, "I can't speak for anyone else, but I can say that no matter what, little siren, I will have your back. I won't let a little thing like you carry this burden alone."_

 

  
He watched her face flash with so many different emotions as he drug his feet, trying his best to move to her, "Max..." he whispered, his voice raspy as he collapsed to the ground, "please...don't..."

  
She brought the sword down, only to blink at Kenshin blocking her from delivering the death blow. His teal eyes were calm as he stared back at her, not judging just...cool and convicted. She took a sharp inhale, her breath hissing through her teeth as she started to shake and the swords tumbled from her hands. She took a few shakey steps back before her legs gave out and she dropped to the ground. She leaned forward on her hands, her eyes staring wide at the ground as they started to burn. _What did I almost do?_ she thought, feeling sick to her stomach as she shook. Tears dripped down her nose, falling to the ground as she swallowed, gritting her teeth against the bile that wanted to escape her stomach. Her mind flashed with what might have been Motonari's corpse, forcing the vomit from her lips and onto the ground in front of her. She groaned, closing her eyes tight as she leaned back, looking past Kenshin to Motonari as he sat staring at her with almost fearful eyes.

  
Chosokabe breathed a sigh of relief at seeing Kenshin stop her from killing. He didn't want her to experience that, not yet, anyway. She wasn't ready. He closed his eye as someone knelt next to him, pulling his arm around their shoulders and helping him to his feet.

  
"You look a little pale, Ogre man," Masamune's voice brought hie eyelid up as he smirked at the One-Eyed Dragon.

  
"I will never be as pale as you, Dragon breath," he said, getting a chuckle from the man as they both looked at Max with sad eyes.

  
Kenshin knelt beside Max as she puked again, pulling her long auburn hair back from her face as Kasuga appeared on her other side. He glanced over Max's shaking form to the shinobi, "she's in shock," he said, getting a nod from the woman as she stood.

  
"I'll prepare a bed for her to rest in," she said before heading for the tent Max's men occupied.

  
Kenshin leaned down, listening to Max's raspy breaths as she cried and shook, "you're not a killer, Maxine Star," he said, his voice gentle and firm.

  
She sniffled, nodding her head slightly as she wiped the corners of her mouth with the back of her hand.

  
Sasuke appeared a few seconds later, making sure to approach Max carefully and loud enough not to startle her. He knelt down, putting his hand gently on her back, "Max," he said, his voice soft and gentle, bringing her attention to him, "let's get you somewhere to rest, okay?"

  
She sniffled again before nodding, letting him help her to her feet before leading her toward the tent. Masamune followed with Chosokabe hanging on him, going slow to keep Chosokabe from bleeding anymore than he had to. 


	20. Fear and Apologies

 

Kenshin watched them walk to the tent before turning and going to Max's swords, laying in the grass. He frowned down at the swords, his eyes sharp and angry as he lifted them from the ground.

  
"You hurt our Fallen Star," he said, his voice cold as ice as he glared at the swords in his hand, "I do not tolerate insubordination," he turned his attention to Motonari as the other man stood, dusting himself off before looking at Kenshin, "if you wish to remain as a part of this temporary alliance, Motonari Mori, I would suggest working on your relationship with Maxine," he looked down at the swords, "assumeing that what happened here did not scar her against fighting." The swords vibrated in his hand, as if to apologize before going still once more, "you made her do something she wasn't ready for because of your bloodthirst," he growled, watching as a pair of ice blue eyes appeared in the sword with the blue and purple hilt, "you are supposed to protect your master and those she cherishes, not force your own will upon her." The orange and yellow hilt glowed slightly as it warmed.

  
_**I am sorry, God of War**_ , a deep, gravely voice whispered in his head, but, unlike Max, he had been expecting it, _**I was eager to taste the thrill of battle once more. It will not happen again.**_

  
Kenshin looked at the other sword, the eyes still watching him before they gave a slow blink, as if sighing was they disappeared.

  
_Mistress Max trusted us and I betrayed that trust for my own selfish reasons. I swear it will not happen again_ , a cool smoothe voice slid through his mind, like a cool breeze through a cherry blossom tree.

  
Kenshin gave the swords a nod before looking back at Motonari, who was watching him with curious eyes, "if I were you, Mori, I would get some chocolates for Lady Maxine," he said as he held the swords over his shoulder. Motonari frowned, but before he could say anything, Kenshin spoke up, "were it not for my interferance, tactician, you would not be alive right now."

  
Kenshin walked away, leaving Motonari to stare after him, the frown still in place. I will continue my plan with or without the Fallen Star. It will just become more difficult.

  
Max kept her eyes on the ground, her mind reeling with the thought that she was actually going to kill someone, or be a part of her swords killing someone. She felt heavy and scared and tired. A hand on her shoulder made her blink before glancing at Kenshin. He gave her a small smile before holding out the swords to her. Her eyes widened slightly as she shook her head. "I don't want them," she said, her voice thick with fear.

  
Kenshin watched her for a moment, the swords stilled before vibrating continuously in his hand, "you need them to learn how to use a sword," he said, trying to hand them to her.

  
She shook her head as she stood, moving several paces away from him as she wrapped her arms around herself, "I'm not going to learn anymore," she said, getting a sad sigh from the God of War, "I would be better off just not on the battlefield."

  
Masamune clicked his tongue, pausing from wrapping the bandage around Chosokabe as he gave Max a glare, "Kojuro's already put a lot of work into training you and you're just going to throw it all away because you almost killed someone?" he asked, his voice an angry growl.

  
Max glared back, "I'm not a murdering thug like the rest of you," she growled back, waving her hand out toward everyone in the tent, "I actually want people to live rather than cut them down because I don't like them."

  
Masamune snorted, tying off the bandage before getting to his feet, "I don't know what it's like in your time, but here, you have to kill to survive or you die," he growled, his blue eye narrowing at her, "there is no, 'talking about it' once someone decides to kill you."

  
"Then I'll die," she snarled back, glaring at Masamune as they stood facing one another.

  
He gave a frustrated growl before roughly running his hand through his hair, "fine, Fallen Star. If you want to die because you don't want to kill anyone, fine. That's up to you," he looked at her fully with a snarl on his lips, "but if you need rescuing, don't come crying to me."

  
She glared back, "don't worry, I won't."

  
He snorted before leaving the tent quickly, his footsteps heavy with anger.

  
She glared down at the ground before her eyes started to burn again as she shook her head. Chosokabe watched her for a few moments as she fought to keep from crying, making him sigh as Sasuke moved to put his hand on her shoulder. She raised her hands, giving a pained look before turning and heading for the exit.

  
"I need some air," she said, her voice gruff.

  
Chosokabe stood, gently taking the swords as Kenshin offered them to him.

  
"She's going to need these," he said, getting a nod from the pirate before the man followed Max out of the tent.

  
Chosokabe started toward her tent before pausing. The last few places she had run off to had been the tent where her men were housed and... _The grave_ , he thought as he turned and started for the grave of the man Motonari had killed. He watched her sit in front of the grave, quietly talking to the dirt that covered the body of the man under it. She looked lost and sad again, making him frown as he glanced down to the swords in his hand. "You made her cry," he growled at the swords, getting a vibration from them both.

  
_**It will not happen again, Ogre of the Western Sea**_ , a deep male voice echoed through his mind, making him furrow his brow at the voice, _**We only wish to make her stronger and a more capable leader.**_

  
Chosokabe frowned at the swords, narrowing his eye as he lifted them to in front of his face, "You. Made. Her. Cry," he growled, baring his teeth at the weapons.

  
_Actually, it was Motonari that made her cry. We simply became the tools to exact her revenge on the man_ , a smoother male voice slithered through his mind, making him grind his teeth.

  
He held the blades out toward Max, as if they were people, "look at her," he growled, his voice low and angry. The swords quieted, the vibrations he was feeling disappearing, leaving the swords cold and still in his hand.

  
_**I'm sorry**_ , the deep voice whispered, sounding genuine in it's apology.

  
_We were unaware that she lost someone_ , the smoother voice said, sounding sad as well.

  
"She fought me for that man's life," Chosokabe said to the swords, lowering them as he winced, "she didn't know him and refused to think of him as an enemy. All the men she commands were once our enemy," he smiled at the memory of this small woman standing up to him like she would take on the world, "you were going to take that strength from her." The swords were silent as Chosokabe shook his head, his other hand going to the wrapped wound on his chest, "Max knows she'll have to kill, but she's not ready right now," he glared down at the swords, "push her and I will throw you into the deepest pit at the bottom of the sea."

  
The swords vibrated, as if they understood as he walked toward the kneeling woman.

  
Max couldn't get over how close she had come to killing Motonari. Sure, he deserved it, but... she looked down at her hands, still clean from the fight.

  
"Max," Chosokabe's voice was soft and gentle as he looked down at her, "this place reserved?"

  
Max sniffled and shook her head, "no."

  
He sat next to her, leaning back on his hands as he looked at the stone his men had placed at the head of the grave. They sat in silence for a while, listening to the trees in the breeze and one another breathe.

  
"I won't ever be ready to take a life," Max broke the silence first, bringing Chosokabe's eye to her, "I was barely ready to cut down Motonari and that was only because he hurt you," she paused, her forehead wrinkling with the effort to keep the tears at bay. She failed and they started to flow down her cheeks as she shook her head, "I was in a blind rage and I just," she sniffled and sobbed, "I wanted him to hurt, after all the bullshit he's already put me through..."

  
Chosokabe sighed and leaned forward, letting the swords lay behind him as he took Max's hand in his, "Max," he said, bringing her attention to him as he wiped the tears away with his knuckle, "if you aren't ready and never will be, let me take care of it. I promised to have your back through all this and that's what I'm going to do," he gave her a comforting smile, "no matter what."

  
She sniffled, swallowing the thick saliva as she nodded, "okay," she said, surprising him by agreeing.

  
He blinked at her before smiling and lifting her hand up to brush his lips against her soft knuckles.

  
She smiled and glanced away, her cheeks tinted pink with embarrassment that made his smile widen. She took a deep breath, looking at the swords before swallowing, "I'll hang on to them until I need them," she said, getting to her feet and lifting the swords from the ground. Warmth and coolness washed over her, through her, soothing her as the voices apologized, telling her that they didn't mean to push her past where she was ready. She gave a nod before sliding them into the sheaths still on her back. She turned and smiled at Chosokabe as he got to his feet, "come on," she said, making a motion for him to follow, "not that I don't trust Masamune to take care of a wound, but I want to make sure you're alright myself."

  
He gave her a grin, not helping the giddiness he felt at the thought of her examining him. She was really thurough and took care of everyone so wonderfully that he knew he was in good hands. She held her hand out to him and he took it, letting her lead him through the field and toward the Fugaku. "You don't want to treat me in the tent with the rest of your men?" he asked, glancing back toward the tent. Secretly he wanted to be alone with her, but he didn't want to sound desperate about it.

  
She shrugged, "I figured a big strong man like yourself would rather get treatment on his own turf," she said, leading the way through the trees.


	21. *Another Lemon* >.<

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, this chapter, at least the beginning of it, does have a little of the story in it, but no so much that you'll miss anything if you skip over it. *Spoiler* Chosokabe just reassures her that his wound isn't her fault.

 

He smiled at her, tilting his head to the side as he watched her glance around as they moved, "do you even know where you're going?" he asked, his smile becoming a grin at her hesitation to answer.

  
"Yes!" she snarled, pausing for a second to glance around the area, "it's...that....way?"

  
He chuckled, moving forward as he twirled her, making her blink and shake her head before glaring up at him. He grinned an ogreish grin at her as he moved forward, forcing her to move back or get run over. She clicked her tongue, wanting to shove him back but not wanting to hurt his wound any more than it already was hurting.

  
"Cho," she growled, glaring up at him as she moved back, "if you don't stop I'll..." she was cut off by her back bumping against the bark of a tree. She blinked glancing back for a second before Chosokabe's arm appeared in her vision. His other hand was in his pocket and he was grinning at her as if he had won something.

  
"You'll what?" he whispered against her lips as he leaned forward.

  
Her mouth suddenly felt dry and she couldn't think of what she was going to say, let alone anything else. She licked her lips and swallowed, trying to remember that she needed air to live, "I don't remember," she breathed, making his grin widen.

  
"Do I really affect you that much, little siren," he asked, brushing a few strands of her hair away from her face.

  
She swallowed, finding a little bit of a foot hold in her mind, "you know you do," she said, her voice hardly breathy.

  
He gave her a malicious grin as he leaned forward, placing his lips a few milimeters from hers, "how would I know that?" he asked, his deep voice making her breath hitch before he kissed her, his lips barely brushing her's. He started to lean back, only to get jerked forward as Max pressed her lips to his, giving a high pitched moan of desperation as she clutched the collar of his jacket. He smiled against her lips, sliding his arms around her and lifting her off her feet as he deepened the kiss. Her tongue slid between his lips, making him grunt in surprise before his tongue twirled around her's as he pressed her back against the tree. She gave a small whimper at the swords digging into her back, making him pull away and look at her.

  
"Did I hurt you?" he asked, making her shake her head as she pulled the straps of the swords over her head and dropped the swords to the ground.

  
She sighed and gave him a smile, "much better," she said, sliding her hands up his chest to wrap around his neck, "now, where were we?"

  
He chuckled, putting his forehead against her's, "I think I might know," he said, lowering her to the ground with a sigh, "but it'll have to wait until you get me fixed up."

  
Max frowned, her emerald eyes narrowing at him in the moonlight, "so, you get me all hot and bothered and you're just going to leave it at that?"

  
He smiled as he leaned back down to be eye to eye with her, "what would you prefer we do?" he asked, dark promises sparkling in his bright blue eye, now a dark royal blue that looked like it held the stars.

  
She frowned at him, the glow of the moonlight catching the bandage, almost making it glow against his sunkissed skin. Max sighed and gently placed her hand where the blood was starting to seep through, "yeah," she sighed, starting to feel guilty about Chosokabe being shot.

  
"Don't do that," he said, as if reading her mind.

  
She blinked and looked up at him before looking sadly at that bandage, "do what?" she asked, her voice even sounding sad.

  
He placed his hand over her's, holding it to his chest, "what Mori does is not your fault," he said, tilting her chin up to look at him, "aye?" She took a deep breath before nodding, making him frown before he stepped back and folded his arms over his chest. He winced, but if she wasn't watching for it, she wouldn't have noticed. "Now, little siren," he chided, "are you agreeing to appease me, or do you really agree?"

  
She frowned at him, "why would I agree just to appease you?" she growled, glaring at him.

  
He watched her for a moment, putting his finger to his chin before giving her a smile, "you know, I think you may be right, Siren," he said, moving forward as he grabbed her wrists, and lifted them above her head as he pushed her back against the tree. He pressed his body against her's, pinning her against the rough bark as she winced at the grip he had on her wrists. He leaned down, grinning at her like a great white as he trailed his finger along her jaw and down her neck and collarbone, "there are much better things you could be doing to appease the Ogre of the Western Sea."

  
She felt her heart start to race as he gave her wrists a slight squeeze, bringing another wince that was covered up by the feel of his knuckles brushing across her neck and pulse. Her breathing became quick, catching in her throat as she tried to inhale, "Chosokabe," she whispered, her voice breathy.

  
He gave her a smile, "you're right," he sighed, leaning his head down to her neck as he exhaled, his breath hot on her neck, "what am I thinking," he hummed against her skin as he leaned down farther, using his chin to move the collar of the shirt/dress, "I should start about..." Chosokabe breathed, "here," he stuck his tongue out, licking a long, slow line along her collarbone, sliding up her chest, throat and chin.

  
"Ahh..." Max moaned, her body starting to shake with desire.

  
He grinned at the blush forming on her cheeks, listening to her rapid breaths as he ran his tongue along her jaw line. He slid his arm around her, ignoring the scratches he was getting from the tree, and pulled her tighter against his front as he released her arms and slid both his hands down her sides, making her shudder against him. He grinned in her hair as his fingers walked the cloth into his hands at her hips, "tell me what you want, Maxine," he said in her ear, his voice a low rumble, "tell me what you need."

  
"Chosokabe...I...nnhhe..." she said between breaths as one of his hands slid under the shirt/dress, his rough hand cupping her breast while his other hand slid between her legs, gently stroking the lips of her pussy.

  
"need," he growled, his thumb sliding over her nipple, making it harden under his touch.

  
"Ahhh..." she groaned, biting her bottom lip as her fingers dug into his shoulders.

  
He grinned, taking her earlobe into his mouth as he slid his fingers between her folds, bringing a loud gasp from her.

  
"AH!" she cried, throwing her head back as he nibbled on her earlobe while pumping his fingers into her.

  
Her eyes became unfocused, blurring the starlit sky as he gripped her breast, twirling and tugging on her nipple while he finger fucked her. His dick was hard and throbbing, wanting to pump into Max with all his strength and power. _Keep your head, Motochika_ , he told himself as she cried out, her nails biting into his shoulders as the walls of her pussy started to tighten on his fingers. He grinned, sliding his fingers out of her as she breathed heavily, holding on to his shoulders to keep herself up. She leaned back slightly, looking up at him with a dream filled emerald gaze that made him want to kiss her. He smiled down at her, seductively licking her juices off his fingers with long strokes of his tongue, making her swallow past the mounting desire. He leaned forward, putting them cheek to cheek as he whispered, "I'm not finished yet."

  
Her eyes widened as he gripped her ass, lifting her from the ground and holding her against the tree with his hips grinding into her groin.

  
"Ahh!" She moaned, her body starting to heat up as he ground the bulge of his pants against her wet, aching cunt.

  
He grinned, running his tongue over his teeth and lips as she leaned back against the tree, "what do you want, Maxine," he growled, his voice vibrating in her chest, "tell me," he breathed against her lips as he ground his cock bulge harder against her.

  
"Cho....so....kah....beh....uuuuhhhhhh!" she gripped his shoulders, trying to push herself against him, making him growl and pull back slightly.

  
"Ah, ah, ahhh," he sang, making her glare at him, "tell me what you want."

  
She swallowed, her eyes lowering to his chest as she blushed, "I...I don't know...what I want..."

  
He chuckled, bringing her eyes up to his as he leaned forward, grinding his groin against hers, pulling a groan from her chest, "I think I know what you want, little siren," he purred, reaching between them to release his dick from it's prison. He rubbed his dick against her opening, grinning at the mewls and moans she gave. He looked at her, putting his lips a breath away from touching her's, "beg me," he growled, grinning at the flash of defiance in her eyes. She glared at him as he rubbed the head of his dick against her clit, making her groan and try to force herself down him. He chuckled, pulling back slightly as he shook his head slowly, watching her with a dangerous glint that made her shiver in ecstasy. "Beg. Me," he growled, flicking his tongue out to lick across her bottom lip, "Mmmm, Tastey." She sighed, running her tongue over the trail he had left as she swallowed, closing her eyes tight while he rubbed the head of his dick against her slit. "Come on," he moaned against her mouth, pushing his dick slightly into her, making her groan and grip his shoulders, "sing for me, little Siren."

  
"Ahhh," she cried, her grip tightening on his shoulders, "Chosokabe...Ahh."

  
He grinned, lifting her slightly and positioning his dick against her hot, dripping cunt, "what does my little siren want?" he cooed at her, watching her bite her bottom lip, "beg."

  
"Chosokabe..." she started, her voice cracking slightly as she swallowed, "please..."

  
He smiled, looking at her with a deviant glint, "please, what?"

  
She licked her lips, making his smile widen, "please, Chosokabe. Fuck me," she said, her voice breathy.

  
He grinned, lowering her so the head of his dick was barely inside her, "I'm going to assume that fuck means this," he slowly lowered her onto his cock, making her groan as he slid into her, burying himself deep inside her.

  
"Ahh!" she cried, throwing her head back as he gripped her ass, thrusting into her over and over. She cried out with each thrust, making him growl as he captured her mouth with his, smothering her cries of pleasure with his tongue. His quickened his thrusts, grunting as the head of his dick slammed against her curvex, making her cries more high pitched and her breath frantic. He broke away from the kiss, gritting his teeth as he shoved her back against the tree, scrapping her back against the rough bark with every thrust.

  
"Chosokabe!" she cried out, throwing her head back as she screamed, her eyes rolling in her head.

  
He growled, her pussy tightening around his cock as she came. He closed his eye, just feeling her pussy milk him before he thrust into her again, bringing on his own orgasm. He cried out, his nails digging into her ass as he held her tight against his groin, filling her with his seed until there was nothing left in him. He let out a heavy breath, his legs shakey as he lowered them both to the ground, being careful not to scrap her back on the tree...again.

  
Max tried to remember to breathe, leaning her head against his shoulder as he held her to him. Her vagina pulsed around his dick, getting a throb from him in response. He smiled, turning his head to breathe in her scent from her hair. _She smells so feral_ , he thought, slowly closing his eye as he listened to his heartbeat and felt her's beat in response. After a few moments of silence, enjoying one another's company, he sighed and pulled away, his dick sliding out of her, pulling a groan of protest from the small woman.

  
"Was that so hard?" he asked, smiling at her as she gave him a starfilled emerald gaze.

  
She snorted, turning her head away as she looked down at his bandages and frowned, "I meant to say no," she said, sighing at the stain that stretched over most of the bandage. She put her hand against the redness and shook her head, "now you're going to have to be fixed up again."

  
He smiled, placing his hand over her's, "I will gladly take any punishment you give me if it means you are the one taking care of me," he said, making her blink and look up at him with innocent jeweled eyes. He lifted her hand and kissed the back of her palm, "besides, you needed that more than me." Her eyes went from innocent to flashes of lightening, making him grin at her as he stood, still holding her hand, "come on, my little Siren," he said, helping her to her feet, "you can issue your punishment to me after I've been bandaged," he paused for a moment, tilting his head slightly with a crooked smile, "or, what was it you said? I could 'fuck' you again."

  
Her eyes widened before they narrowed into a glare. She stepped forward, giving his wound a smack that made him hiss out in pain, "jackass," she growled, getting a pain filled chuckle from the man as he lead them to the Fugaku.


	22. Taking Care of...

 

Chosokabe sat on a cot in the medical room of the ship, watching as Max carefully cleaned his wound, frowning the entire time. He sighed and lifted her chin so she was looking at him, "what's wrong with my little Siren?" he asked, giving her a half smile.

  
She smacked his hand away, going back to cleaning the wound, "you should have controlled yourself," she said, continuing to clean the wound, "then your wound wouldn't have broken open. It's gunna need stitches and I left my first aid kit back at camp."

  
He sighed, giving her a seductive smile as he brushed his knuckles against her cheek, "you've truely and completely seduced this man of the sea, my little Siren," he said, his voice smoothe as velvet.

  
She blinked at him before frowning and shaking her head, "seduced or not, I expect you to put your well being over sex," she growled, poking him in the center of his chest, "you're damned lucky it didn't hit your heart." He chuckled and started to open his mouth to say something when she held up her hand, stopping the words, "and don't say anything cheesey like, 'but you've already got my heart'."

  
He rolled his eye as he watched her prepare a piece of cloth, "what are 'stitches'?" he asked, making her pause.

  
"It's basically sewing up the skin so it can heal quicker and leave minimum scarring," she explained, looking at him with the cloth in her hand, "why?"

  
He looked down at the wound, the gaping hole making him swallow. He didn't care if he had a scar or not, but the healing quicker bit was appealing, "what would you need to give my wound stitches?" he asked, looking at her with a serious bright blue eye.

  
She took a deep breath, "just a needle and thred. It's pretty much the same thing seamstresses do when they sew clothing, except the clothing is your actual skin," she said, getting a nod from Chosokabe as he stood, "what the hell are you doing?" she screeched, standing and putting her hand on his chest, "you shouldn't be moving around too much."

  
He couldn't help but smile, thinking how he watched her treat the men under her care and thought that he wouldn't need that kind of attention. He sighed, giving in to the small woman before sitting back down on the bed, "alright, my little Siren, you win," he said, smiling up at her as he slid his hand around her hip and pulled her forward, wrapping his arms around her as he kissed her lips, "but I fought you on this."

  
She snorted and turned her head, folding her arms over her chest before wincing, "ouch," she yipped, glancing behind her back.

  
Chosokabe blinked, leaning back slightly as she turned in his arms. His eye widened at the rough scratch marks down her back from their tryst in the forest, making him swallow and lick his lips. As fun as it was, he hadn't meant to hurt her. She glanced over her shoulder at him with her hands on her hips. His eye wandered to the bruises, now a deep purple, around her wrists, making him frown. "I don't think I'm very good for you," he said absently, his fingers tracing one of the scratches, making her hiss.

  
"No arguement here," she mumbled, making him sigh.

  
"Hey! Akimatsu!" he called, getting to his feet.

  
She frowned at him and turned, putting her hand on his chest to push him back down on the cot, "damn it, Cho!" she growled, only to get a serious look from the pirate warlord as a man entered the medical room.

  
"Yeah, Aniki? What is it?" the man asked, his eyes going wide at the hole in Chosokabe's chest and the scratches on Max's back.

  
"My little siren here needs a needle and thred and I need the poultice I got from the traveling doctor," he said, getting a nod from the man before he left.

  
Max gave him a raised eyebrow, "poultice? Like a salve or ointment?" she asked.

  
"Yeah," he said, giving her a smile, "I got it from a traveling doctor that was working on something that would help heal wounds faster and keep them from getting infected. It works amazingly."

  
"So, it's kind of like Neosporin?" she smiled at the confused blink he gave her, "the medicine I've been putting on bandages when I treat people."

  
He gave her a nod before looking away coyly, "honestly, I bought it from the man because I felt bad for him, but when I found out it worked, I bought out his entire stock," he said, grinning sheepishly, "I have too much of it, really."

  
Max laughed and shook her head, "well, poultice or not, you still should be sitting," she said, giving his chest a gentle push, making him fall back onto the cot.

  
"As my Siren wishes," he said, grinning at her eye roll.

  
Akimatsu came back with a needle and thred and a jar about the size of a large foundation container. He handed them to Chosokabe before giving them a bow and leaving. Chosokabe sighed, handing Max the needle and thred before looking at the clearish jar of green poultice. He glanced past the jar to Max as she thredded the needle and rolled the tip of the needle over the candle sitting on the table.

  
"What are you doing?" he asked, tilting his head as she took a clean cloth and wiped the soot off the needle.

  
"Sterilizing it so whatever this was used for last doesn't give you any infections or diseases," she explained, tieing a knot at the end of the thred before sitting beside Chosokabe, "alright, Ahab, turn around so I can stitch you up."

  
He turned, watching her carefully slid the needle into his skin. It felt like a pin prick, which he could ignore, but the pulling of the thred through the hole was...strange and uncomfortable. She concentrated on what she was doing, pulling the two sides of skin together, making the skin around it tight. He let a long breath out through his nose, grinding his teeth as she pulled the thred tight and tied it. He looked down at the stitched hole and actually smiled, "that wasn't too bad and it looks wicked," he said, making her smile.

  
"Yeah, considering I've never given anyone stitches before," she admitting, setting the needle and thred on the table.

  
Chosokabe lifted the poultice and nodded to her, "your turn, Max," he said, making her sigh.

  
"They're just scratches. I'll be fine after a while," she said, turning to wrap the thred back up.

  
He narrowed his bright blue eye at her, "I caused those and I want to help make it better," he said, opening the jar and releasing the smell of eucalyptus and aloe, "now, turn around or I'll turn you around."

  
She glared at him for a moment before sighing, "fine," she grumbled, turning her back to him and pulling her hair over her shoulder.

  
She felt the strap at the back of her neck lift before Chosokabe gave a growl and something cool slide up her spine. There was a ripping sound a second before the sleeves/straps fell forward, making her holler as she clutched the front to her chest, "seriously!" she snarled, glaring over her shoulder at him.

  
He blinked at her as he scooped a small amount of the poultice out of the container, "what?" he asked, his voice innocent while the glint in his eye wasn't.

  
She snorted, turning back to face forward, "you could have just asked me to remove it, jerk," she growled, glaring at the bed across from them.

  
He chuckled, a low rumbling sound that she was starting to like, "would you have really, little Siren?"

  
She nodded, knowing that he could see her nod just fine as he slid the poultice over the scratches. She winced and hissed, leaning away from his hand as she did, "God that's cold," she said, getting a chuckle from the man behind her.

  
His hands were gentle, smoothing over the wounds with such ease that she didn't feel any stinging like there normally would be. She took a deep breath, letting the sleeves/ straps fall forward and pushing the shirt/dress down to her hips. She grabbed a pillow, putting it against her chest as she held it. "How bad is it?" she asked, since he had stopped applying the poultice.

  
Chosokabe licked his lips, even with the scratches from the tree, her naked back looked...enticing. The smell of eucalyptus was the only thing that kept him from leaning forward and licking a line between her shoulder blades and to the base of her neck. He cleared his thoat, dipping his hand into the poultice to apply to her wounds, "it's not as bad as I was expecting," he said, glad that his voice was normal.

  
She gave a nod, "imagine how bad it would have been if I was against the tree the entire time," she said, giving him a smile over her shoulder, "I don't think I could wear a shirt for a while."

  
He blinked for a moment before grinning a devilish grin, "well, then you wouldn't have left my cock, huh?" he asked, the way he just threw out the word "cock" made her turn away, blushing.

  
"I wouldn't say that," she mumbled, holding the pillow tight against her chest as she buried her face up to her nose in it. He chuckled, his hand gently stroking the poultice onto her wounds, making her sigh. _It does feel nice, having someone take care of me like this_ , she thought, her mind flashing back to when she had caught James with Emma. She took a deep breath and shook her head, closing her eyes against the tears threatening from the still fresh pain. Her mind wandered after that, wondering if the thing with Chosokabe was a real thing or if she just reached out for the first man that was the opposite of her ex, just to feel something besides hurt. Her mind went back to when Yukimura asked her if she was with Chosokabe and how he said she was his but... _Is that how people say they're together in this time? Maybe I should ask him_. She lowered her head slightly, _No. No, I shouldn't. What if...What if he says no?_ He had said that he thought of her as more than just a piece of ass but still, the doubt was still there and it wouldn't go away.

  
"You're being awful quiet, Siren," Chosokabe's voice pulled her out of her thoughts, "what are you thinking about?"

  
She took a deep breath and swallowed, "Chosokabe, I want to ask you something," she said, her voice quiet. He leaned forward, sliding his arms around her as he set his chin on her shoulder. Looking at her face, he could tell something was really bothering her, and he hoped that there was something he could do to fix it. She took a deep breath as she closed her eyes, almost like she was expecting the worst thing. "When you said, I was yours to Yukimura, what did you mean by that?"

  
He blinked at her question before leaning back, "exactly what I said. You're mine," he said, folding his arms over his chest as he looked at her back, "is there another meaning to that in your time?"

  
She took a breath and swallowed, knowing that she had to actually look at him to convey exactly what she was trying to ask. So, she turned, keeping the pillow clutched to her chest as she sat facing him with her legs crossed. He watched her with that bright blue eye, patiently waiting. James would be yelling at me to say something by now, she thought, shaking her head to remove the memories. She took another deep breath and looked up at Chosokabe, meeting his gaze with confidence, Chosokabe is NOT James, she told herself before she spoke, "do you love me?" she asked, being straight forward and honest with him.

  
He blinked at her, surprised at the sudden question. He glanced down, thinking about his answer. _Do I love her?_ he asked himself, his mind going over the last several days. There were few women that caught his eye and even fewer that he was willing to put up with for longer than a night. Max wasn't like women he knew. Women he knew were either too shrewd to let him near them, or they were too shy and timid. The timid ones were fun for a night and the shrewd ones were good for a rough tryst, but that was about it. He couldn't see himself spending a long time with a woman, let alone the rest of his life. He looked up at Max, who's emerald eyes were watching him with fear, like she thought he wasn't going to answer, or would say something that would hurt her. _Do I love you, my little siren?_ Even if he didn't, or he wasn't sure, he wanted to see her smile again. _I'll tell her what she wants to hear and think about it for a while,_ he thought as he gave a nod. He smiled, making her blink at him, but that fear was still in her sparkling emerald eyes. He leaned forward, putting his hand against her cheek as he put his forehead against her's, "of course I love you," he said, watching the fear disappear from her eyes as she covered his hand with her's, breathing a sigh of relief.

  
"Thank you, Chosokabe Motochika," she said, smiling at him before planting a gentle, timid kiss on his lips.

  
He smiled back, brushing his knuckles down her cheek before moving back, "now, since we missed dinner. Are you hungry, my little siren?" he asked, getting an excited nod from the woman.

  
"I need to get a shirt or something though," she said, getting to her feet and tying the sleeves/straps around her waist, turning the shirt/dress into a skirt, "what do you suggest, Cho?"

  
He sighed, pulling the jacket from his shoulders and draping it over her, "I suggest you cover up before someone who isn't me sees you," he growled, getting a tongue click from the woman.

  
She tilted her head to the side, sliding her arms into the long sleeves and buttoning the coat closed. It was long enough to cover most of her mid-section, but the sleeves were really long. She looked them over before looking at Chosokabe, who was watching her with a narrow eye. She blinked, "what?" she asked, feeling confused.

  
He watched her before shaking his head, "I only have the one jacket, so you can't have it," he said, being completely serious.

  
She gave an exasperated sigh, "fine," she groaned, rolling the sleeves up so she could see her hands.

  
He smiled, sliding his arm around her as she started to walk past him. He leaned down giving her a kiss on the top of her head before taking a deep inhale, smelling something delicious, "mmm. Something smells good," he hummed, letting his hand slid to her's as he lead her to the dining room.

  
They sat at a table with a few of Chosokabe's men, talking about her time and life. They asked questions about the future while she answered them the best she could.

  
"So, you have these horseless carriages called cars and you use gas to make them go and gasoline comes from the pressurized bones of dead things?" he asked, wrinkling his forehead as he tried to understand.

  
Max nodded, "that's right," she said, giving him a smile, "but the world's almost out of oil. We're trying to find different resources to use instead of oil and gasoline while fighting over what little we have."

  
Akimatsu frowned, "sounds awful," he said, putting a piece of fish in his mouth and chewing slowly, "are you sure you've never been in a war before?"

  
She rolled her eyes, eating some rice before shaking her head, "nope. I've never been in a war of any kind. The one I dropped into was the first one and that...sucked, to say the least."

  
The men chuckled.

  
"So, Lady Max," the man who was introduced as Kaito said, leaning on the table with is chin on his hand while he grinned at her with sparkling golden eyes. He brushed a few strands of Jet black hair out of his eyes, "what's intimacy like in your time?"

  
Chosokabe clicked his tongue, smacking Kaito over the back of his head, "don't ask those questions," he growled, folding his arms over his chest as he glared at Kaito.

  
Max couldn't help but smile as she swallowed the rice in her mouth, "well," she started, getting interested and surprised looks from the men sitting at the table, "intimacy is like it is here," she said, knowing that, at this point, most of Chosokabe's men knew about them, "we just have different words for it."

  
"Like fuck," Chosokabe said, his lips curving up into a cocky grin.

  
She nodded, "yeah, but fuck can be used for more than just sex," she said, moving her hand out in an absent wave, "like when something is to the extreme, or sucks, or is screwed up." The men narrowed their eyes, glancing around as they tried to figure out how the word would fit into something, making her smile. "I'll give you an example," she cleared her throat, thinking of something to say. She glanced at the window that showed the ocean, "this fucking sucks."

  
They blinked at her before glancing at one another, a few shrugging before they looked at her. "Was that an example, Lady Max?" a man named Katatoshi asked, blinking his brown eyes at her.

  
She glanced at him, not realizing she said that outloud, "hmm? Oh, no," she said, shaking her head, "I was just thinking outloud. An example would be, instead of saying 'forget this', a lot of people in my time say 'fuck this'," she tried explaining, getting a small nod from the men.

  
"You said something along those lines when you were first brought to the war tent, didn't you?" Chosokabe asked, tilting his head slightly, "what was it?"

  
Max blinked at him, not knowing what she had said days ago before it clicked in her head, "oh! Right. 'The fuck kind of honky tonk bull shit is this'." she said, remembering with a smile, "yeah, that was me being angry at everything. It meant, 'what kind of shit is this' I just conveyed my anger by adding more words than was needed."

  
"So, the more words you add to a sentence, the angrier you are?" Matakatsu asked, blinking at her with curious big brown eyes.

  
She shrugged, "it depends on what I'm mad at, really. Honestly, if I get really quiet and start giving short to the point answers, then I'm pissed," she explained, thinking why are we talking about me?

  
Chosokabe gave her a smile, "good to know," he said, his voice amused as she narrowed her eyes at him.

  
"It is, isn't it?" she asked, rolling her eyes before moving the rice around in the bowl, "if I, personally, get upset about something, I'll rant about it for hours, saying fuck about every other word. If I'm angry, I tend to act impulsively," she admitted, getting chuckles from the men as they glanced at their boss.

  
Chosokabe frowned, before giving them all a glare, "what the hell are you sons a bitches looking at?" he growled, only to get more chuckles from his men.

  
Max smiled, enjoying her time with the pirates as they ate and talked well into the night. 


	23. *Lemons, Lemons Everywhere!*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you don't want to read this, that's fine. Skipping it won't make you miss any of the story.

 

Max leaned against Chosokabe's shoulder as they wandered down the hallway, taking their time to get to his room. He looked down at her, smiling as she yawned, closing her eyes as they walked.

  
"Tired, Siren?" he asked, tilting his head to look at her face.

  
Her eyelids fluttered up before she gave him a half hearted glare through heavy lashes, "just a little," she said, giving another yawn.

  
He chuckled, giving her hand a squeeze as they went through the doors to his room, "I hope you aren't too tired," he said, his voice a low growl as he spoke.

  
Max gave him an annoyed blink.

  
He smiled, "okay, okay," he sighed, letting her hand drop as he walked to the bed.

  
Max followed, standing on the other side of the bed as she unbuttoned Chosokabe's jacket, letting it fall to the floor as she stretched. Chosokabe licked his lips, watching Max undress herself as he stared. She stretched, forcing him to stifle a sigh of need as he turned away, untieing the cloth belt from around his waist. He let everything slid to the floor in a pool of cloth around his feet. Max felt her mouth go dry at the sight of Chosokabe's back and ass. She hadn't really gotten a good look at his entire body, mostly because he was clothed during their sex sessions. She had assumed he looked like the exposed part of him did and man was she right. His back looked strong and well defined, muscles sliding under his skin as he moved to kick the pants away, making her bite her bottom lip as she glanced over his tight ass.

  
"Enjoying the view?" Chosokabe's voice made her blink back into herself.

  
She glanced up at his bright blue eye as he grinned over his shoulder at her, "I..." she turned away, her face heating up with a blush. _Why the hell am I oogling him like a horny teenager?_

  
His chuckle turned her back to face him, her eyes going wide at him crawling across the bed like a large jungle cat stalking it's prey, "you what, my little siren?" he asked, his voice gliding across her skin like a sinful promise.

  
She swallowed, wishing that she had a glass of water as she crossed her arms over her chest, suddenly realizing that she was naked from the waist up, "I was until you had to move," she grumbled, her cheeks feeling a thousand degrees hotter as he slid his legs over the edge of the bed and carressed across the exposed part of her hip.

  
"Aww," he cooed, "is my little siren being shy?"

  
She snorted, starting to take a step back only to be stopped by his grip tightening to keep her in place, "I'm not shy."

  
He smiled, slipping his hand to the tied sleeve/strap around her waist, "then you won't mind if I help you," he said, untieing the sleeve/strap with a few casual movements before the shirt/skirt slid down her legs, pooling on the floor at her feet. He gave a deep, satisfied growl and licked his lips, his baser instincts taking over as he pulled her forward. "Come here, siren. I want to hear you sing my name."

  
Max tried to stand her ground, getting a growl from the pirate, "I'm tired, and you've already been laid today," she said, poking him in the chest.

  
He narrowed his eye at her before clicking his tongue and leaning back on the bed with an amused grin, "you have some strange words for sex," he said.

  
Max swallowed as her eyes followed the line of his body down to his, partially, erect penis. She blinked, not believeing how big he was and that she could fit all of that inside her. She licked her lips, thinking how wonderful the sex had been so far before Chosokabe cleared his throat, bringing her eyes up to meet his. She glanced off to the side, her cheeks heating up from the look he was giving her. He sat up, bringing his hands up to slid around her waist and rest on her ass. She narrowed her eyes down at him, making him chuckle as he leaned forward, turning his face up to meet her gaze.

  
"I just want a kiss, siren," he said, his voice gentle as he brought his knuckles up to brush against her jaw, "don't give me that look."

  
She snorted, grabbing his wrist, "I'll look at you anyway I want, Chosokabe Motochika," she growled, making his cock twitch from the dark glint in her eyes, "and I don't want a kiss."

  
He blinked at her, the grin wilting slightly before she put her free hand against his chest and gave him a shove, sending him back against the bed. He put his hands at his sides, gripping the blankets as she crawled up him, pausing only to flick her tongue out at the head of his dick. He gasped, making her grin as she gripped the base of his penis and slid her tongue, slowly, over the head, as if enjoying a lollipop. Chosokabe groaned, his back arching as her lips glided around the head, her tongue working as her mouth slid down the shaft and back up.

  
"Oooh, Maxine," he hissed, closing his eye as she started working faster. He ground his teeth, gripping the blankets until he thought he would rip them, but that didn't matter as Max's tongue twirled around his dick while she moved her mouth over it. He wanted more. He wanted her to lick and suck and grip harder and faster. He reached down, sliding his fingers into her hair and resting his hand on the back of her head, urging her to go faster. She obliged, moving her mouth faster and faster as he moaned loudly, throwing his head back as the pressure built. "Maxine!" he cried out, feeling his seed spill from his dick, tightening his grip in her hair. He came until there was nothing left and she slid her mouth away from his member. He looked down at her, his eye lid heavy as he watched her lick his seed from her lips, like something wild that ate something delicious. He groaned at the sight, smiling lazily as she crawled the rest of the way up his body, strattling his lower stomach.

  
"Feel better?" she asked, grinning at him as he nodded, his mouth not working. She kissed his nose before rolling away from him, "good."

  
He turned his head, watching her move to the head of the bed and pull the blankets back. He swallowed, watching the way her ass moved before he rolled to his knees. He moved toward her, grinning at what he wanted to do to her before taking hold of her ankles and jerking her legs out from under her. She yelped, turning to glare over her shoulder at him before rolling over. His grin widened, showing that he was pleased she was playing into his hands.

  
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" she growled, folding her arms over her chest as she glared at him with emerald lightening.

  
He leaned over her, sliding his hand up her stomach and resting it on her sternum, "I don't think," he said, his hands moving to her thighs as he pushed them apart. Her breath quickened as he slid his body down her's and lacing his arms around her legs, holding them apart as his tongue flicked out over her clit. She gasped, her hands instantly going to the bed beside her hips. "I just do," he growled, his breath hot on her pussy before he licked a long, slow stroke up her labia.

  
She moaned, arching her back as he flicked his tongue over her clit, "Cho," she sighed, making him growl and pull away. She blinked looking down her body at him as he glare up at her, "what?" she asked, her voice breathy.

  
He set his chin on his hand as his rested on her groin, "that's not my name," he said, giving her a defiant smile, "and I'm going to stop if you don't say my name."

  
Max glared down at him, her emerald eyes narrowed as she folded her arms over her chest, "then don't, I don't care," she growled, looking to the side like she wasn't interested.

  
His smile widened into a grin, "oh, you don't, do you?" he asked, his deep voice vibrating in her stomach as he moved his head, putting his cheek against her thigh and looking at her like some incubus.

  
Max swallowed past the driness, watching Chosokabe with wide eyes as he turned his head, kissing her inner thigh, "n..no...I duh...don't..." she stuttered, making his grin widen.

  
"Really?" he asked, rubbing his cheek against her inner thigh, "that's too bad," he sighed, trailing his finger down her thigh, "because I wanted to do soooo much to you."

  
She swallowed, forcibly narrowing her eyes at him, "like what?" she asked, her voice still breathy.

  
He shrugged, the motion causing his shoulders to rub against her calf, "something I thought you would enjoy," he said, giving her a sigh, "but, you don't care and won't say my name, soooo..." He started to move, only to have her legs wrap around his neck, making him smile as he looked up her body with a knowing glint, "say my name, properly, and I'll go back to licking that tight cunt of yours."

  
She swallowed and licked her lips, knowing that he meant what he said, "alright, Chosokabe..."

  
He cut her off with a slow shake of his head, "my full name," he said, sliding his hands under her butt, cupping her ass cheek.

  
She took a deep breath, glaring down at him, "Chosokabe Motochika."

  
He grinned, "there, was that so hard?" he asked, leaning his head down to lap at the folds of her pussy.

  
She gasped, throwing her head back at the suddenness of his tongue on her privates, "Chosokabe," she moaned, making him smile as he slid his tongue between the lips of her puss, sliding it up and out and flicking the tip of his tongue over her clit, making her gasp and grip the bed. He lapped at her over and over, lifting her hips with his hands under her ass so he could lick more. He groaned against her cunt, enjoying the taste of her and the gasps he got from every lick and flick of his tongue. He pulled back, licking her juices from his lips as he slid his fingers into her, making her arch her back and groan. He pumped his fingers into her, moving slowly at first before speeding up slightly as he leaned forward, lapping, slowly, at her clit.

  
"Cho...so...kah...beh..." she gasped, her fingers digging into the blanket.

  
He slid his fingers out of her and stopped lapping her clit, giving her enough time to take a few breaths before gripping her thighs and pulling her cunt tight against his mouth, making her gasp and cry out as he nipped and licked and sucked at her.

  
"Ahh! Chosokabe!" she cried out, throwing her head back as she came.

  
He leaned up from between her legs, licking the juices from his lips as he seductively crawled up her panting body. His dick was rock hard now, throbbing with need as he slid it between her thighs and straight into her cunt, making her groan. He leaned down, putting his mouth near her ear, "say my name, little siren," he growled, sliding out of her until it was just the head of his dick in her.

  
She gave him a lazy blink, her eyes still hazey and her cheeks still pink from him eating her.

  
He slowly, purposefully, slid back into her, burying himself deep in her and pulling another groan from her lips, "say my name, Maxine," he said, watching her lick her lips before speaking.

  
"Chosokabe Motochika," she said, her voice rough but breathy.

  
He smiled at her, lacing his fingers with hers as he placed her hands beside her shoulders, "good girl," he hummed before pulling out and thrusting into her. She cried out, instantly tightening around his dick, making him growl in surprise, "damn, Max. You're still ready to go."

  
Eventually, her moans turning into high breathy noises as he pumped into her, spurring him on to thrust harder and faster.

  
"Ah, ah, Chosokabe...Chosokabe!" she cried out, her vagina tightening more around him, making him growl with pleasure as his own started to build again.

  
"Oh, God. Maxine!" He roared, hammering into her as his instinct took control, pulling screames of ecstasy from her until he spilling his seed inside her and collapsed.

  
They lay there for a few moments, trying to catch their breaths as feeling returned to their limbs. Chosokabe sighed, feeling a thousand times better than he had been, as he leaned up, smiling at Max as she lay under him with her eyes closed. Her cunt still pulsed around him, making him smile more as he moved, giving her one more thrust before pulling out. She gasped and then groaned, not bothering to hide the disappointment as he moved to lay on his side. His fingers trailed up her stomach and between her breasts, making her sigh as it started to soothe her. He smiled, putting his face against her neck with a sigh.

  
She smiled and rolled to face him, sliding her arms around his ribs to trail up and down his spine, "I love you, Chosokabe Motochika," she sighed, making him blink against her neck, surprised at the confession.

  
He closed his eye, thinking for a moment as he held her, sliding his arm around her back and holding her tight with his face burried in her neck. She listened to him breathe for a moment, that doubt starting to flash through her mind as he remained quiet.

  
She leaned back, looking down at him before blinking a couple of times, "Chosokabe?" she asked, tilting her head slightly, "are you asleep?"

  
He was silent, keeping his eye closed as he slowed his breathing.

  
Max sighed and shook her head, pulling the blanket around them. He leaned forward, giving his forehead a gentle kiss that made his heart ache. "Good night, My Ogre," she whispered, her voice sweet and gentle as she cuddled against him under the blankets.

  
After a few moments, Chosokabe opened his eye and leaned up, looking at Max to make sure she was asleep before he sat up. His eye wandered over his hands, laying limp in his lap before he looked at Max again. She looked so peaceful, laying amongst the black and purple of his bedding, breathing gently as she slept. He sighed and ran his hand through his wild silver hair. _What am I going to do?_ he asked himself, looking at the desk across the room. _She loves me_. He felt himself smile at the thought, bringing his fingers up to his own lips before he frowned, thinking how much he had changed because of the woman in his bed. He looked at her again, running the back of his fingers over her arm, carressing her soft skin. He sighed again, letting his hand drop to the bed beside her as he scooted to the edge of the bed, leaning over his knees with his elbows. He looked at the ground, her voice echoing in his ears. He took a deep breath, getting to his feet and pacing the floor. _What am I going to do?_ he thought again, his eye on the floor in front of him, _she loves me and I_... his thought stopped. _Do I love her too?_ he asked himself, glancing at Max's sleeping form. He clicked his tongue, _Does it really matter? She's beautiful, witty, fun and a hard worker. Best of all, she's sharing your bed_ , he told himself, putting on a smug grin as he glanced out the windows of the cabin. "That's right," he said aloud, his voice just above a whisper. He went back to bed, curling up around Max, making her sigh in her sleep and cuddle more into his chest. _Besides, if I don't love her now, I look forward to falling for her_ , he thought, smiling down at her before giving her forehead a gentle kiss. "Sleep well, My Siren," he whispered against her forehead before falling into sleep himself. 


	24. The Spirits Within

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The image is a combination of two pictures from two different artists. They are NOT mine. In actuality, Kasai would have darker skin and Kori's hair would be white blonde, and his ears wouldn't be so big. Imagine feral Tomoe from Kamisama kiss with white blonde hair and ice blue eyes and that's Kori.

 

 

Max awoke with a smile and a yawn, her whole body well rested and relaxed. She lifted her head, her eyes going to the empty side of the bed, startling her slightly awake in a panic. She sat up, glancing around the room and giving a sad sigh at not seeing Chosokabe anywhere. She took a deep breath, calming the doubt and fear that echoed through her mind. _Relax, Max. He wouldn't just fuck you and leave...would he?_ she shook the thought from her head, knowing that if that were the case, he would have done it the first time.

  
She slid out of bed and went to his wardrobe, frowning at all the purple. "I'm starting to wonder if he knows there are other colored clothing besides purple," she muttered under her breath. She let out an exasperated sigh before glancing toward a chair sitting by the door. She blinked at the clothing, tilting her head slightly as she went to them and lifted the top clothing from the pile. A white man's shirt that looked small enough to fit her. She smiled, grateful that Chosokabe thought a little ahead as she pulled the shirt over her head. A red and blue striped sash sat under it, and she wrapped it around her a couple of times, making sure to tie it tight before moving onto the black pants. She stepped into them and slid them up her legs to rest on her hips. They weren't exactly her size, but the thought stopped bothering her when she saw the black belt that went with it. She stood with her hands on her hips as she looked herself over in the full length mirror, smiling at her reflection. "Now all I need is a pirate hat and I'll look like something out of pirates of the caribbean," she laughed, turning to look at the swords laying against the table beside the bed.

  
A wave of fear swept through her, but that didn't stop her from going to the swords. It did, however, stop her from reaching for them. She took a deep breath and licked her lips before steeling herself and grabbing them, sliding the straps, cross wise, over her shoulders. She looked at her reflection one more time before closing her eyes, trying to put her mind at ease.

  
_Good morning, Mistress_ , the smoothe, cool voice said, gliding through her mind like a bird in the sky.

  
She inhaled, swallowing past the driness clogging her throat, "good morning," she replied.

  
_**We're sorry, Mistress Max**_ , the deeper voice said, sounding sincere in it's apology, _**we didn't know that killing someone would effect you so much or we would not have placed our will upon you.**_

  
Max just listened, not sure if she should trust what he was saying or not.

  
_We understand if you do not trust us anymore, Mistress_ , the cool voice said, making her sigh.

  
"It's not that I don't trust you, but I don't like being controlled and it felt like that," she said, glancing between the blades on her back, "I don't mind you helping me train, but killing is something I'm going to have to work up to."

  
_**We understand**_ , the deep voice said

  
_In that case, Mistress, allow us to introduce ourselves_ , the cooler voice started, the blade on her left shoulder vibrating as if to get her attention, _My name is Kori. I am a Kitsune, or fox spirit that has been entrapt within this blade, because the crafter stole my power crystal and refused to give it to me unless I possessed this weapon for him. He trapped me within._

  
Max frowned, "did you get it back?" she asked, curious about this 'power ball'.

  
Kori sighed, _no. He sold it to a monk who placed it within a sacred jar so I can't even call it to me._

  
Max was silent for a moment, her mind going over what he had just said before giving a small nod, "I'll get it back for you," she said, getting a vibration from Kori.

  
_It's no use, Mistress. That was many centuries ago. I suspect that it's not even there anymore._

  
Max smiled, drawing the blade to look at the steel. Ice blue eyes appeared, looking at her like they were bored, "I bet it is," she said, making the eyes narrow at her before disappearing.

  
_How can you be sure?_ Kori asked, sounding as unamused as his eyes had looked.

  
Max shrugged, "Japan actually preserved most of their history," she explained, "even in my time there's still large castles and monuments that were built before now. So, I'm pretty sure."

  
_And what would you want in return for this gesture, assuming you could find my power crystal?_

  
Max look at the blade as the eyes appeared again, watching her with annoyed anger, "I don't want anything," she said. The eyes blinked at her before narrowing.

  
_I don't believe you_ , he growled as the eyes disappeared again.

  
"Believe what you want, Kori, but I'm going to get you your power ball," she smiled, "hell, you could leave, for all I care."

  
The eyes slowly faded back into the blade of the sword, watching her as if trying to figure out if she was lying or not, before fading once again from the blade, _I will...consider your offer, Mistress._

  
She gave the blade a nod before sliding it back into it's sheath.

  
_**My name is Kasai. I'm a Salamander or fire spirit,**_ the other voice said, trying to break the silence.

  
Max smiled, looking at the blade, "I heard salamander spirits were fire spirits in Asia but that never made sense to me since they live in water," she confessed, getting a deep chuckle from the deep voice.

  
_**Yeah, we get that a lot.** _

  
"So, why are you in a sword?" she asked, drawing the blade from the sheath.

  
A pair of golden eyes smiled back at her, _**I was too powerful and it scared the humans. They locked me away to seal my power.**_

  
Max blinked at that before laughing, "seriously? That is one of the most over used reasons in all of Japanese culture," she said, grinning at the eyes.

  
_**I don't find it funny at all**_ , he grumbled and she could just imagine him folding his arms over his chest in a huff.

  
Max shook her head, "I'm sorry," she said, tilting her head to the side, "so, how do we get you out of there?"

  
The eyes blinked at her before giving her wide eyes, _**you really want to release us? But, why?**_

  
"Nobody should be inprisoned because a few people got scared," she said, as the golden eyes gave her a look of curiosity, "besides, even if I need you guys to help me learn how to fight, I want you to help me because you want to, not because you have to as weapons."

  
The eyes smiled, _**I don't know how to release me, Mistress Max, but you could ask the family of the one who put me in here. They live in Akita northeast of here.**_

  
"Okay. I'll do that," she said as the eyes disappeared and she slid the blade back into it's sheath, "don't worry, boys. I'll have you out of there in no time."

  
Kasai vibrated with excitement, obviously wanting to be let out, but Kori remained still, like he wasn't going to get his hopes up. She sighed and ran her hand through her touseled hair before turning and leaving the room. By this point, she knew the basics of where to go to get up from under deck and how to get to the dining room and kitchen.

She walked out on deck and glanced around, looking for Chosokabe as she walked across the deck.

  
"Hey! Lady Max!" one of the men called down from the mast.

  
Max looked up giving the man a smile and a wave, "hey, Kaito!" she called back, watching as he grabbed a rope and, with enough drama to do a pirate movie proud, swung down from the mast to land gracefully on his feet a few feet in front of her. She rolled her eyes, nodding toward the rope ladder that went up from the railing, "you couldn't use the ladder?"

  
He grinned at her, his white teeth sparkling in the sunlight, "that wouldn't have impressed you as much," he said, moving past her to untie and retie a rope.

  
She snorted, turning as she folded her arms over her chest, "so you would rather risk your life to impress a woman that you barely know than be safe to try another day?" she asked, making him pause for a moment before smiling over his shoulder at her. 

  
"Well, Lady Max, I didn't know you cared so much for me," he said, making sure the knot was tight before turning and reaching out. He grabbed her arm and jerked her forward, causing her to fall against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her against his body, "could it be that you're madly in love with me?"

  
Max glared back into those laughing golden eyes, "I'm not in love with you, Kaito," she growled, giving his chest a shove.

  
He only laughed at her efforts before someone smacked him over the back of his head, making him wince and release her. Kaito rubbed the back of his head as he glared over his shoulder at whoever had smacked him.

  
"Don't touch my woman, Kaito," Chosokabe's voice growled as he walked around the man to wrap his arm around Max and tug her against his body, making her grunt.

  
Kaito's eyes widened slightly before he smiled and gave a shrug, "she came onto me, Aniki," he said, making her glare at him.

  
Chosokabe gave a growl, his blue eye moving to her and the glare before he smirked, "she did, did she?" he said, making her blink at look at him with wide emerald eyes.

  
She frowned and glared up at him, trying to step away from him, "like hell I did!" she growled, pointing at Kaito, "he's the one coming onto me!"

  
Chosokabe just looked at her, like he didn't believe her, "Kaito would never lie to me," he said, glancing at Kaito who grinned.

  
Max glared between the two as she gave Chosokabe's strong chest a hard smack, "fuckers!" she snarled, pushing against his chest, "like I would hit on Kaito. He's not even my type," she smirked, glaring up at Chosokabe, "YOU'RE not even my type."

  
Chosokabe snorted, his bright blue eye narrowing at her, "I don't understand what any of that means," he said, releasing her so suddenly she stumbled back.

  
She regained her footing and glared at the two, "it means that I'm not attracted to you," she said, glaring at the two men as they glanced at one another, "and 'hitting on' someone is another term for flirting."

  
They gave a nod before smiling at one another, like it was some big joke. She snorted and turned toward the plank that lead to the land.

  
"Woah, woah, woah," Chosokabe growled, grabbing onto her arm and turning her toward him, "where do you think you're going without me?"

  
Max narrowed her eyes at him, "away," she said, nodding in the direction of the camp, "you're starting to smell like rotting fish."

  
Chosokabe blinked and lifted his arm to smell himself, "I don't really," he murmured, releasing her arm as he turned back to Kaito, "do I?"

  
Max grinned as she took the opportunity to move away from him as Kaito sniffed him. She spun and took off down the gangway, laughing as she heard Chosokabe and Kaito shouting at her. She ran through the trees, racing the wind before breaking through into the clearing. She slowed slightly, glancing back to see if Chosokabe was following before he burst through the thicket, his blue eye blazing. She gave a small screech before breaking into a sprint, grinning while she ran.

  
"MAX!" Chosokabe called, sounding almost out of breath, "COME BACK HERE!"

  
She ran between the tents, weaving back and forth to throw him off like she had when Kojuro and those four weirdos chased her. She ducked into a tent, quickly closing the flaps to make it appear like she hadn't been there. She tried to slow her breathing as she smiled, peeking through the slit in the flap.

  
"Max!" Chosokabe's voice called, sounding farther away than she expected, making her smile widen.

  
The swords vibrated vigorously at her back, as if warning her about something.

  
"Who are we hiding from?" a voice behind her made her yelp.

  
She turned, trying not to run out of the tent as she glared at Kasuga, "no body," she said, hearing Chosokabe's voice start to get louder.

  
"Oh little siren! Come out, come out, where ever you are!" he called, making her hold her breath.

  
"You're disturbing my lord's rest," the woman growled at her, making Max click her tongue and look at the woman fully.

  
"It's alright, Kasuga," Kenshin's voice was soft and gentle, cooling the angry woman standing in front of Max. Kasuga narrowed her brown eyes at Max before turning to give Kenshin a better view of Max as he smiled at her, "are you and Chosokabe playing hide and seek?"

  
Max blinked at him before smiling and giving him a shrug, "I sort of just ran off after telling him he smelled," she said, making Kenshin chuckle.

  
"I suppose that's a good reason to run away," he said, motioning toward a pillow sitting across from him, "please, sit. I have not had the opportunity to speak with you since you tried to kill Mori."

  
Max's smile was replaced with a frown as she looked at the God of War. The swords vibrated slightly on her back as the coolness and warmth spread from them, trying to comfort her. "I didn't mean to try to kill him, but he shot Chosokabe and I was...angry..." she said, her eyes narrowing at the word, "that's not the word," she muttered, folding her arms over her chest.

  
"Lord Kenshin offered you a seat," the woman said, her voice harsh as she took a step toward Max, trying to be intimidating.

  
Max looked at her with angry eyes, her arms slowly dropping to her sides, ready for a fight.

  
_**Don't let her scare you,**_ Kasai said, his voice sounding smug.

  
_She wouldn't do anything unless her master released her leash_ , Kori said, making her smile.

  
"Crude, Kori," she muttered, glancing back at the sword as a small wisp of steam rolled out of the sheath.

  
"So," Kenshin said, bringing her attention back to him, "they do speak to you."

  
Max blinked at him before shrugging, "don't they speak to everyone?" she asked, knowing as she said it that they didn't.

  
He watched her with those dark teal eyes, his face pleasant while his eyes searched her for something, "what do they say to you?"

  
Max stared back, her face impassive, "stuff and things," she said, getting a tongue click from the woman.

  
Kenshin smiled at her before motioning toward the pillow again, "please, tell me of the stuff and things they say," he said chuckling as she rolled her eyes, taking the seat this time.

  
She sat cross legged in front of him, placing her hands on her knees as Kasuga walked around her to sit to the side and behind. Max sat, waiting patiently in the silence as he stared back at her with a pleasant smile. She took a deep breath and let it out, sucking on her upper lip for a moment before smiling, "well, that was a great talk," she said, making him chuckle.

  
"I apologize, Lady Maxine," he said, giving her a real smile, "if you don't mind, I would like to know about the swords you possess."

  
Max glanced at the swords over each shoulder, wondering how much she could say that wouldn't get them taken away from her.

  
_**Do not worry, Mistress**_ , Kasai's voice was gentle and soft, _**I don't mind you telling him everything about me.**_

  
Max gave a small nod, glancing at Kori as the sword remained silent. _Guess Kori doesn't want me to talk about him_ , she thought before turning back to Kenshin, "well, Kasai," she said, motioning to the sword with the orange and yellow ribbon as it glowed, "is a Salamander. He was put into the sword because he became too powerful and scared a bunch of people. They sealed him there to keep him from hurting anyone, but I don't think he would hurt anybody without a reason behind it."

  
_**Thank you, Max**_ , Kasai's voice was a gentle sigh, like he had waited for someone to realize that.

  
Max smiled over her right shoulder at the sword before turning back to Kenshin, who was eyeing the sword with interest before he nodded toward Kori, "and the other one?"

  
Max swallowed, glancing at the sword as if wondering what she should say, "his name is Kori and he's a Kitsune? Is that how you say that?" she asked, getting a vibration from the sword. She took a breath and looked at Kenshin, who looked like he was waiting for her to go on, "I'm sorry, Kenshin, but I don't know what I can tell you about him."

  
"What do you mean?" he asked, his face pleasant, but his voice...something in it gave her the chills.

  
She shook her head, feeling the warmth from Kasai move gently through her, comforting her, "I don't want to say anything the would upset or hurt Kori, if I can't help it," she said, feeling the sword give a slight vibrate, like it was startled, "I wouldn't want someone to say something about me if I didn't want to say it myself, you know?"

  
Kenshin watched her with surprised eyes before giving her a gentle smile, "you're a very honorable person, Lady Maxine," he said, giving her a small bow, "and I will not press if you aren't willing to explain."

  
Kori vibrated slightly again, startled once again. Max smiled at him, "thank you, Kenshin. I know Kori will appreciate it," she said, leaning back slightly, "so, any other questions?"

  
"Where did you get them?" he asked, keeping his straight posture while Max relaxed back.

  
"Ryushiro gave them to me to help with my training," she said, her mind flashing back to the day he gave them to her as she narrowed her eyes, "I don't know if he knew about the spirits in the swords or not," she murmured, licking her lips as she leaned up, putting her elbows on her knees, "maybe I should ask him."

  
Kenshin gave a nod, "that would be wise. If Ryushiro knew of the spirits, he could have been placing you in danger, or hoping you would be endangered by wielding those swords."

  
Max frowned at the thought, her heart wanting to believe that he wasn't but her mind knew better. Her time period wasn't a nice place, and this time period definately wasn't. She took a deep breath and nodded, "I'll do that, then," she said, getting to her feet, "thanks for having me, Kenshin. I appreciate the talk."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kori (氷) means Ice  
> Kasai (火災) means Fire
> 
> I know, Cliche, but the other japanese words for fire and ice type things didn't sound as good as names.


	25. Love Songs

 

 

She turned and left, not bothering to wait for an answer. She walked through the tents, heading straight for the bon fire. It was almost noon so she hoped that the men would be at the meal. She stepped out from the tents, her eyes scanning over the men before they fell on her group, sitting with others from different provinces, eating and laughing. She moved across the ground, ignoring the calls to her as she went straight to Ryushiro, who was smiling at something one of the men said. His eyes fell on her as she approached, wiping away the smile.

  
"Hey! Mistress Max," Shukunoba said, giving her a grin before it faultered, "what's up?"

  
Max looked at Ryushiro, who gave a small nod as he stood, "I need to talk with you, Ryu," she said, nodding toward the tents off to the side and out of the way.

  
He gave another nod before leading the way to the storage tent, where nobody was. They entered and closed the flap, giving them some privacy. He leaned back against a barrel with his arms and legs crossed, watching her as she plucked up the courage to say what needed said.

  
"So, Ryu, I have a question," she said, tilting her head slightly and she licked her lips.

  
"Is it about the spirits that reside within the swords?" he asked, his voice monotone as he spoke.

  
She blinked, her stomach hitting the floor as she swallowed and gave a nod, "what do you know about them?"

  
He took a breath and shrugged, "not much," he said, watching her watch him before the swords started to glow, making him blink in surprised, "I thought that Mitsuhide was lying when he said they were possessed."

  
She shook her head, "no. He wasn't," she said, furrowing her brow as she crossed her arms over her chest, "who's Mitsuhide?"

  
"He reminds me of a snake," Ryushiro said, making her, instantly know who it was.

  
She shivered and shook her head, "that guy's a fucking freak," she mumbled, rubbing her hands over her arms to warm herself just from the thought of the man, "so, why did he have the swords?"

  
Ryushiro shrugged, "he said something about releasing the spirits in exchange for them assisting in the war," he said, watching her for a moment as she looked down.

  
She looked up at him, angry about the thought of Oda Nobunaga controlling the spirits, "does he have a strange, pearl like glowing ball?" she asked, making Kori still at her back.

  
_I didn't say it was a pearl_ , his voice hissed, angry that she would ask someone that outloud.

  
She frowned, glaring over her left shoulder at the sword before pulling it. Ice blue eyes glared back at her, like they would burn a hole in her, "if Mitsuhide has it, then it'll just be easier for us to get and I assumed that's what it looked like because someone isn't very forthcoming with needed information," she growled, making the eyes blink at her before becoming angry again, "I won't help you blindly, Kori. You need to trust me with information or I can't and won't."

  
The ice blue eyes continued to glare at her for a moment before disappearing. _It's a crystal in the shape of a snowflake_ , he growled, sounding like he was telling her against his will.

  
She took a breath, replacing the blade in the sheath with a nod before looking at Ryushiro, who was watching her with his head tilted and narrowed brown eyes. "I'm sorry. It's, apparently, a crystal shaped like a snowflake," she explained, getting a blink for the silent man.

  
He looked down, thinking about that information before looking back up at her, "Nohime, Oda Nobunaga's wife has a necklace with a crystal on it, but I don't know what shape it was."

  
_My power crystal is a very pale blue_ , Kori said, his voice sounding a little more excited.

  
She smiled, "what color is it?"

  
Ryushiro shrugged, "I remember thinking that it was the color of the sky in winter, or ice," he said, making Kori vibrate vigorously against her back.

  
"Calm down, foxy," she mumbled, giving her left shoulder a shrug to get him to calm down.

  
Kori clicked his tongue at her, making her smile.

  
"Is there something you need that crystal for?" Ryushiro asked, watching her before glancing at the sword.

  
She shrugged, "I need it to get back to my time period," she lied, making Kori still.

  
He gave a slight nod, his eyes going sad for a moment before he pushed away from the barrel and walked to stand in front of her, "Mistress Max, if I may say," he started, getting a nod from her, "we would be very upset to see you leave, but we understand that you are not from this time period and probably miss your home very much. There for, we have agreed to do whatever it is you need of us to help you return to your time."

  
She blinked at him for a moment, surprised before she gave him a smile and hugged him. He grunted at the sudden contact, blinking down at the woman before sighing and wrapping his arms around her returning the hug. "Thanks, Ryushiro. I hope that I can be a great leader for you guys, too."

  
He smiled, "you already are," he assured her as she drew away from him. He patted her on the shoulder before moving past her and out of the tent.

  
She took a deep breath and let it out, feeling relieved before another thought hit her hard in the gut, "well, we know where it is. Now we just have to get it," she said, looking down at the ground with sad eyes.

  
_**You have us, Max,**_ Kasai said, his voice energetic, _**and we'll help you learn and stay safe, as is our duty as your weapons.**_

  
She smiled, glancing back at Kasai before looking behind her at Kori, "I'll get that power crystal for you if it's the last thing I do, Kori."

  
The sword remained still, like he didn't believe her, or didn't want to get his hopes up. She couldn't blame him. After all, she wasn't a warrior. She walked out of the tent, only to run into someone's chest before she was wrapped in a pair of strong arms and lifted from the ground, making her yelp.

  
"Gotcha," Chosokabe growled, grinning at her as she giggled.

  
"Only because I wasn't expecting you to be there, jerk," she said, smiling as he grinned back.

  
"For running away from me after telling me that I smelled, I think you should sing for everyone," he said, giving her a little squeeze, "and I won't put you down until you agree."

  
She snorted, narrowing her eyes at him before clicking her tongue, "fine. I'll sing for everyone," she grumbled, getting a cheer from the men that were near them.

  
"What's going on?" one man called across the field.

  
"Lady Max is going to sing for everyone!" another replied, getting more cheers from the other side of the area.

  
Max folded her arms over her chest and glared up at Chosokabe, who was looking pleased with himself as he lead her to the group of warlords, "why do you always gotta start shit?" she growled, giving his arm a smack.

  
"Start what?" a voice right near her ear said, making her yelp and jump as she spun, her hand narrowly missing Sasuke's head.

  
"Fucking ninja!" she snarled, getting a laugh from the man in camoflage.

  
"But, seriously, start what?" he asked, making Max snort and narrow her eyes at him.

  
"I'm blaming you too, because you started this whole mess," she growled, waving out toward all the men starting to gather to hear her perform.

  
He blinked at her, looking both confused and happy, "what are you blaming me for?"

  
"What's going on?" Shingen asked as Kenshin and Kasuga walked up to the group and took their seats on the logs.

  
Yukimura smiled at his lord, "Lady Max is going to sing and dance for everyone," he said, looking at Max with a smile, "right, Lady Max?"

  
Max glared at him, making his smile faulter, "I never said I would dance," she growled, getting a chuckle from Chosokabe.

  
"But you dance so wonderfully," he said, giving her a sharky grin.

  
She rolled her eyes, "you say that because I kicked your ass at dancing," she said, pointing at him with a smug smile.

  
He clicked his tongue and glanced off toward the tents, "whatever," he grumbled, making every chuckle.

  
Max took a deep breath and nodded, "fine," she grumbled, lifting the IPod from her hip and scrolling through it, "but only because Kenshin, Kasuga and Shingen haven't heard me sing."

 

"It's not because Chosokabe asked you to?" Masamune asked, sounding surprised as he grinned at her.

  
She narrowed her eyes at him before looking down at the IPod, "maybe you should help me, huh, dragon breath?"

  
Masamune smiled before lifting a spoonful of rice porrage to his lips, "nah. I'm good," he said, popping the spoon into his mouth with a smile.

  
Max rolled her eyes before taking a step back, making sure she had room to move, "what, exactly would you like me to sing, anyway?" she asked, glancing up at the others as they looked at one another.

  
"Whatever you want, Lady Max," Kojuro said, giving her an encouraging smile, "we'll enjoy your singing no matter what you sing."

  
Max blushed slightly, quickly looking down at the IPod to stop the redness, "how about...Circus Originally done by Britney Spears?" she asked, glancing up at the men.

  
A few of them shrugged, giving her the best answer she could ask for. She sighed, slipping the swords from her shoulders so they didn't bounce around on her back while she moved before handing them to Sasuke, "don't lose them," she growled before standing in front of all the men. She took a breath and nodded at the IPod before putting it back on her hip and situating it with the speaker before hitting play. She closed her eyes, calming her own nerves for a moment before striking a pose at the first beat. She moved slightly robotic while she sang, snapping her fingers out at a few spots before the chorus came up, and she did a slow motion spin. They watched her dance, their feet tapping to the beat as a few of the men cheered her on. Kenshin and Shingen watched, thinking how strange her movements were but enjoying the show, none the less. Some started doing their own dancing, making her smile as she contunued until the music ended. The men cheered, calling for an encore.

  
"Alright, alright! Animals!" Max hollered back, scrolling through the IPod for another song.

  
"Don't you know any love songs, or something?" Sasuke asked, leaning back against a pole.

  
Max glanced up at him before wrinkling her brow and looking back down at the device, "I know plenty of love songs, but I think that would just make people sad," she said, her mind slightly on what she was doing.

  
"I wouldn't mind hearing a love melody," Kenshin said, making her glance at him.

  
"Neither would I," Shingen said, making Max cringe before he even said what he was going to, "why don't you sing something for your fiancee, Yukimura."

  
Max gave him a hard glare as Masamune gave Shingen and raised eyebrow before shrugging, "I wouldn't mind hearing what love songs sound like in the future."

  
Max rolled her eyes, "still sappy and annoying," she muttered, making Chosokabe chuckle.

  
"Come on, my little Siren," he said, walking to stand in front of her with a grin. He trailed his knuckle across her cheek as he brushed a strand of hair from her face, "sing a love ballad for your sailor."

  
She blinked at him, forgetting how to breathe for a moment before she nodded, "I guess," she mumbled, looking down as a blush started to take over her face. She found the song that came to mind when she thought about what she was going through now and her love life. She pushed play and waited to start singing ( **Begin Again - Taylor Swift** ). She kept her gaze to the ground, almost afraid of looking up at Chosokabe as she sang. Her mind going over everything that had lead up to this point. James cheating on her and them breaking up. Her and her friends going to Japan to get away from the drama. Her leaving them for the day to be sucked into a portal to a different time period. Shooting Oda Nobunaga and being drug into a war that she had nothing to do with. She had wanted nothing more than to go home then, but now... Standing in front of these men, she wasn't so sure what she wanted any more. She wished she could have both worlds, but knew that she could only have one. The second chorus came up, and that was when she looked up at Chosokabe, his face holding an expression of awe as he watched her sing. A small smile spread across his lips, as the sparkle in his eye warmed her heart, making her feel pride in her singing. He held his hands out to her, and she took them, letting him pull her forward as he put his forehead against her's listening to her beautiful voice. She felt like she was singing to him and she partially was, smiling at the thoughts of the future. He moved back and lifted her hand, brushing his lips against her knuckles.

  
She gave him a girly giggle, something that she didn't do too often, making his smile widen before Sasuke cleared his throat, rudely bringing them back from their own little fantasy world. "So, do you have any other ones?" he asked, making her frown and glare at him as he gave her a grin.

  
Chosokabe snorted, giving the ninja his own glare before sighing and shaking his head, "I would like to hear more love songs, if you don't mind, my little siren."

  
Max looked up at him before sighing, "I guess I could sing one more," she grumbled, but the sparkle in her eyes told him that she wanted to.

  
He smiled and gave her forehead a gentle kiss before moving back to give her room.

  
"Well, I have one that's not a love song but it's one of my favorites," she said, scrolling to the music ( **Catch my Breath - Carrie Underwood** ) and pushing play.

  
She listened to the beginning, breathing slowly before tapping her foot as she started to sing. She moved her body slowly, letting herself warm up a little bit. Loosening up her muscles and joints before breaking out in a faster dance. Twisting her hips as her arms split from one another and she did a spin. She smiled at the second verse, spinning several times before doing the same dance she did during the chorus, smiling the whole time. She really did love singing and dancing. When she hit the last verse, she looked at Chosokabe, giving him gentle eyes before going back to her dancing. When the music ended, she got a round of applause, along with loud hollers and cheers from the men around her. She smiled and gave a couple of dramatic bows, only to get more cheers from the men.

  
"More! More!" They cheered, making Max shake her head.

  
"Sorry, guys," she said, giving their cheers a wave, "maybe another day."

  
It was almost a unanimous groan as the men went back to their meals, talking and laughing about the performance she did as she took a seat against the log by Masamune's leg. He leaned forward, grinning at her with his elbows on his knees, "tired, Kitten?" he asked, making her look at him.

  
She gave him an annoyed look before shaking her head, "nah. Honestly, I could dance all day without a problem," she said as Sasuke sat against the log next to her. He handed her back the swords as she gave him a nod and slung them over her shoulders, setting them up against her back.

  
"Why do you carry the swords on your back instead of your hip?" Mori asked, making her shoot him a glare. She didn't realize he was sitting on the other side of Yukimura.

  
She snorted, folding her arms over her chest as she continued to glare at him, "because they're easier to get to," she said, not knowing if that was the real reason or not but saying it anyway. The truth was, she just put them on her back that day because the swords told her to...and she thought they looked cooler like that.

  
"Really, now?" Masamune mused, leaning his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward to look at her, "I think I want to test that theory of your's, Kitten."

  
Max blinked, looking at him with slightly wide eyes as the swords vibrated on her back.

  
We've got your back, Lady Max, Kasai said, sending warmth through her muscles.

  
_Just listen to us and follow our instructions to the letter and he won't be able to touch you_ , Kori's voice was strong and sure, but that didn't stop the doubts and thoughts of what Masamune had said a few days ago.

He was going to test her and wasn't going to hold back. _Masamune's been fighting his whole life. What if he kills me?_ she thought, only to get a warm, soothing touch through her spine.

  
_Do as we say and he won't_ , Kori's voice was a little harsh but she nodded and got to her feet, making Masamune blink at her in surprise. He hadn't actually thought she would accept.

  
She leaned forward and poked him in the forehead, "you're on, dragon breath," she said, giving him a confident smile.

  
Masamune looked her in the eyes, taking note of the lack of confidence in her gaze before returning her smile with one of his own, "I'm not going to go easy on you just because you're a clawless pussycat," he said, getting to his feet as well.

  
Max snorted, turning her head away with a smug smile, "and you shouldn't expect me to go easy on you just because you're a little gecko," she said, getting a laugh from Masamune as he nodded toward the field.

  
"You talk a good game. Let's see you play it," he growled, leading the way toward the field.


	26. Surprise Confession and Heartache

 

Several minutes later, Max and Masamune stood facing one another. A crowd had gathered to see how well Max had become at the sword. Unfortunately, she only had like two lessons, but she did have possessed swords that could fight for her, basically. She took a deep breath, listening to Kasai and Kori's instructions in her head as Masamune smirk, crossing his arms in front of himself and lacing his fingers between the six swords. She swallowed, having seem Masamune fight with all six before. _He really is like a dragon with those swords_ , she thought.

  
_Focus!_ Kori's voice was sharp, sending a spike of cold through her mind and making her wince.

  
"Ouch, Kori!" she growled, slapping her hand to her head.

  
Masamune chuckled, still crouched slightly in the ready position, "I haven't even started yet and you're already hurt."

  
Max frowned at him, lowering her hand the her side, "like you could touch me," she called back, getting a grin from the one-eyed dragon.

  
_**Max**_ , Kasai said, his voice amused as she felt heat slid down her side to sit under where the IPod hung from her hip, _**put one something energetic.**_

  
_What are you doing?_ Kori hissed through her mind, _she needs to focus on the fight._

  
_**I want to test a theory**_ , Kasai said, his voice thoughtful.

  
"You want to test a theory when it's my life on the line?" she asked, a little upset at the thought.

  
_**You move so gracefully when you're dancing to the strange music, I thought you would be able to do the same when it came to fighting**_ , Kasai said, sounding sure.

  
Max took a deep breath and nodded, "fine, but if I die, I'm possessing your sword and kicking your etherial ass," she grumbled, getting a chuckle from the Salamander. She scrolled through the music, thinking about what she should pick, "maybe Sandstorm?"

  
"Max! You ready or what?" Masamune called, his voice a little agitated, "I'm getting any younger!"

  
Max rolled her eyes, deciding on **Shell Shocked - Juicy J, Wiz Khalifa, Ty Dolla $ign ft. Kill The Noise & Madsonik**. She rolled her shoulders with the start of the music, giving Masamune a smile as she stood with her legs shoulder length apart, "let's play."

  
Masamune grinned, pulling all his blades before rushing forward. Max felt like the world slowed.

  
_Pull us now!_ Kori's voice was sharp, sending her hands up as she lowered herself, bringing the swords over her head and down. Masamune brought his swords around only to have them knocked away, surprising him. He moved back and rushed to the side.

  
_**Move right eight paces,**_ Kasai ordered. She followed his instruction, moving as Masamune brought his swords across like a giant claw.

  
_Shoulders back. Left, right, left, step to the left,_ Kori gave her instructions on dodging as Masamune swiped at her.

  
Her heart beat wildly with each narrow dodge, but she didn't get hit. She paid attention to every thing they told her to do.

  
_**Feel the music, Max**_ , Kasai said, his voice encouraging, _ **fight like you dance.**_

  
Max blinked, dropping down in a crouch at the drop beat, doing a body roll to the right as she grapevined back. She spun, holding the swords out as she jumped back. She did a robotic move with her legs before crouching again, narrowly missing getting cut before coming back up and crossing the swords as Masamune brought his down in a downward slash. She blinked, not realizing that Kori and Kasai weren't telling her what to do anymore until that moment. He pressed down, making her furrow her brow and grit her teeth at his strength and power. She could feel her knees starting to give out but shook her head, her pride not wanting her to give in.

  
Masamune smiled at her through the entangled blades, watching her shake her head at her shaking legs, "not bad, kitten," he said, bringing her emerald eyes to meet his, "I expected to have to stop before now, honestly. Have you been training with Chosokabe in secret?"

  
Max gave him an, almost proud, grin, "like we have time to train with all the sex," she said, feeling herself blush after realizing what she had just said.

  
Masamune smirked, his pressure on the blades lightening, "he any good?"

  
Max blinked at him before giving him a raised eyebrow as she put pressure on the blades, "why would you want to know if Chosokabe's any good?" she asked, sounding as confused as she felt, "got a crush on my man?"

  
Masamune clicked his tongue, putting pressure back and making her wince, "curiosity. Jealousy. Anger. Take your pick, kitten," he said, his eye going to the healing bruises on her wrists, "I wouldn't have done that no matter how rough we got."

  
Max blinked, Masamune's confession startling her. There was a flash in his eye before he surged forward, bringing his swords around and smacking her's hard enough to send her in a spin as it was sent flying from her hand. The vibrations from the force of it rattled her bones, making her hand numb as he wrapped his arm around her waist and slid his blades up to rest against the front of her body. One on her neck, one across her chest and the other, downward crossing her stomach.

  
"I should be your man," he growled in her ear, his breath hot against her earlobe, "I saw you first. I healed you first. I helped you first," his voice sounded a little sad as he whispered into her ear, "you should be with a Dragon not an Ogre."

  
She felt the strings in her heart twang, breaking a little for him. Masamune was so strong and powerful and confident that it hurt her to hear the sadness and confusion in his voice. She swallowed against the swords, looking at the ground in front of them as they stood in the middle of the field. Masamune lowered the swords and stepped back, replacing them in their sheaths as she licked her lips and closed her eyes.

  
"Why?" he asked, his voice asking more than just that one simple word.

  
She took a deep breath and turned, actually looking at him before looking away, "I don't know," she said, her voice soft as she looked at where Kasai had landed, "it just sort of happened."

  
"Do you love him?" Masamune asked, his words falling out of his mouth as he thought them. He needed to know.

  
She nodded, "yes, I do," she said, looking him in the eye.

  
He frowned, watching her as she stared back at him, "does he love you?" he asked, making her blink.

  
She started to answer but stopped short, glancing toward Chosokabe as he watched them with his arms folded over her chest, "I..." she looked down, _does he love me?_

  
Masamune felt a small glimmer of hope start in his chest at her hesitation, causing him to smirk. He couldn't help it, "he hasn't said anything, huh?"

  
Max slowly shook her head, her mind going over everything that happened in the last few days. Chosokabe had said she was his but, in this time period, that could mean girlfriend for all she knew. 

  
Masamune sighed and stretched, giving her his usual smile, "well, if you get bored of sharing the Ogre's bed, you know where my tent is," he said, starting for the tents, "oh, and not bad, for a novice sword fighter."

  
She watched him walk away, leaving her with her thoughts as she strolled to Kasai and lifted the sword from the ground.

  
_**It wasn't bad,**_ Kasai offered, _**you were doing really well without our assitance.**_

  
_Then you got distracted_ , Kori's voice was like venom as she slid the swords back onto the sheaths on her back, _be glad it was someone you knew, or you would have been dead._

  
She wasn't listening, her mind full of thoughts and emotions that she couldn't get a handle on. _Did Chosokabe really love her? He said he did, but was that just something he said to get her to put out?_ She felt her heart start to ache again and she put her hand over her chest, squeezing as she did.

  
_**Max? What's wrong?**_ Kasai's deep voice was soft with concern.

  
She took a deep breath and swallowed, hoping they would know more than her. She turned away, slightly, keeping her lips close to together as she whispered, "do you think Chosokabe loves me?" she asked the spirits in the swords.

  
Kasai stilled while Kori gave an almost violent vibrate.

  
_Why would he? You have no skills, except as a bard. You mouth off and don't obey when you should_ , Kori growled, his voice sharp and angry, _the only redeeming qualities you have is that you're supposedly part of a prophecy that will help them gain power and you're, apparently, a wonderful lover._

  
Max felt his words stab her heart, making her almost grunt at the pain. She felt the heat from Kasai stretch across her back, making the sword Kori resided in hiss like water in a fry pan. "So, he just wants me for sex and power?" she asked, feeling her heart start to hurt like it did when she found out about James and Emma.

  
The swords were still on her back, making her heart sink farther. Max found herself standing a few feet from Chosokabe, who was laughing and talking with Masamune, Kojuro and Shingen. She took a deep breath.

  
_Tell him to hold me for a moment and ask him if he loves you_ , Kori offered after a minute of her thinking.

  
She took another deep breath, putting on a, slightly happy face before stepping up to Chosokabe and touching his arm to get his attention.

  
He looked down at her with a smile before it wilted slightly, "what? Upset that you lost to the dragon?" he asked, getting chuckles from the men in the group.

  
She rolled her eyes, pretending that her heart wasn't being held together with scotch tape and hope, "no, and I think you cheated, by the way," she growled, giving Masamune a growl before looking back at Chosokabe, "I need you to help me with something real quick, if you don't mind."

  
Chosokabe gave her a smile and a nod, before following her to the tent where her men were housed. They stepped into the tent and got several greetings from the other men, making her smile at them as she set her swords down against the medical table. Most of them were healed up and preparing to head outside to practice with their swords. She waited for them to leave, laughing and talking with them before waving them off. Chosokabe had taken a seat on the edge of one of the beds, watching her as she turned to look at him. She took a deep breath and sat next to him, her mind trying to put together what to say before she spoke.

  
"Max," he said, lifting her chin with his fingers, "what's wrong, my little siren?"

  
She moved back slightly before nodding toward the swords, "could you hand them to me please?" she asked, getting a confused eyebrow raise from the pirate before he reached for them. Once he touched them, Max asked her question, "Chosokabe, do you love me?"

  
The question startled him, but he quickly recovered, giving her a smile, "I already told you that I did," he said, holding the swords out to her, "why are you so insecure about it?"

  
She shrugged, taking the swords from him and placing them across her lap as she fiddled with the ribbon strands hanging off the ends of the swords, "I dealt with a lot of infidelity in the past and reassuring me is the best way to keep me from doubting it."

  
Chosokabe frowned, "why would you doubt it? I mean what I said," he said, watching her as she kept her eyes on the swords. He leaned forward, placing his hand over her's, "Max, lets go back to the Fugaku and talk this out, okay? I want to help you get over this doubt you seem to have about me."

  
Max shrugged and glanced around the tent, "I think I better stay here for the time being," she said, looking up at him and giving him a smile, "I was going to ask Kojuro to teach me a few more techniques so I can actually win against Masamune."

  
Chosokabe frowned, not believeing what she was saying, but he decided not to press the issue, "alright, siren. If that's what you want to do," he said, leaning forward and giving her a gentle kiss on the lips, "you know where I'll be." He stood and left the tent, leaving her alone with her thoughts and the swords.

  
She looked down at Kori, hoping that Chosokabe was telling the truth but feeling that the kiss was more of a goodbye kiss. She licked her lips and chewed on her upper lips, her heart already about to shatter.

  
_Do you really want me to tell you the truth?_ Kori's voice was soft and gentle, like he was afraid his words would kill her.

  
She swallowed, already feeling the tears welling up in her eyes as she nodded.

  
Kori's sigh slid through her mind, making her furrow her brow in pain, _he doesn't._

  
Those two words sent a shock wave through her body, making her release a loud sob as she dropped her face into her hands.

  
_**T** **hat doesn't mean that he won't, just that he doesn't right now**_ , Kasai's voice was desperate, trying to calm her and soothe her, but it was no use. Her heart was already shattering into a million pieces again.

  
She sobbed into her hands, feeling her body shake and shutter with every breath. She leaned forward, bending in half as she cried and sobbed. The pain made her entire body hurt. _Why?_ she asked herself, _why do I fall for men that won't love me back?_

  
_He can still care about you and not love you,_ Kori said, only making her hurt more.

  
"I don't want to be in the friend zone and I don't want to be a FWB or a bootycall," she sobbed, forgetting entirely that they didn't understand any of that, "I want someone to love me like I love them. Is that too much to ask?"

  
"No, it's not," a voice at the entrance of the tent brought her attention up.

  
She sniffled and wiped under her nose with the back of her hand as she looked away from Kojuro. She didn't want to talk to anyone. She didn't want to be around anyone. She was hurt and tired.

  
_I'm sorry, Max_ , Kori's voice was barely above a whisper.

  
She looked down at the sword and gently lay her hand on the sheath, feeling the blade shudder beneath her palm, "you only did what I asked," she said, closing her eyes as her mind reeled, "I have a lot to think about, so if you don't mind, Kojuro. I'd like to be alone, for now."

  
Kojuro just stood by the entrance, watching as she avoided looking at him, like she was asshamed of something. He moved forward, ignoring what she said as he sat beside her on the bed, "what's wrong, Lady Max?" he asked. He wanted to reach out to her, take her in his arms and hold her, but that wasn't his place. She looked so sad and lost that he was having a hard time restraining himself.

  
She swallowed and sniffled again, licking her lips before slowly lifting her tear covered eyelashes and looking at him, "you were right, Kojuro," she said, giving him a bitter smile that turning into a bitter frown that wrinkled her brow as she fought off another wave of sobs, "about Chosokabe only causing pain and heartbreak."

  
Kojuro frowned, glancing down at the ground, "I only said that as a warning. I meant nothing by it," he said, looking back up at her, "you seemed happy with him. If I'm not over stepping, what changed?"

  
Max sniffled and wiped her nose with her hand, "Masamune got a little...emotional when we were fighting. Not like you would think when fighting someone, but he got more..." she shook her head, not knowing how to discribe it.

  
"He spoke to you while he had you at his mercy," Kojuro said, as if it was something Masamune did all the time.

  
She nodded, glancing at him before looking down at the sword with the blue and purple ribbon, "Kori told me to ask Chosokabe if he loved me while he was holding the sword," she said, lifting Kori slightly from her lap.

  
"Kori?" he asked, eyeing the swords.

  
She nodded, "Kori is the one with blue and purple. He's a Kitsune that got tricked into being in the sword. Kasai is a Salamander that got forced into his sword for being too powerful," she explained, getting a nod of understanding from Kojuro. Her brow furrowed again as she looked down at the swords and licked her lips, "Kori said that he was lying when he said he did."

  
Kojuro didn't feel shocked about that at all. He knew Chosokabe, like with Masamune, would see her as nothing more than a play thing until they got more power or bored. Max didn't seem like the type that would handle being used and thrown aside very well. Kojuro glanced at the sword, "how do you know that...Kori isn't lying?" he asked, looking back at her while mentally scolding himself.

  
She sniffled, looking down at the sword in her lap for a moment before giving a small nod, "because I trust Kori," she said, feeling the sword give a small vibration of surprise, "like I trust all of you guys." she was silent for a moment while Kojuro watched her, her eyes moving back and forth like she was thinking before she swallowed, "do you think Masamune actually has feelings for me, or is it just a passing fancy like Chosokabe's feelings seem to be?"

  
Kojuro blinked at that question, thinking how strange it was and slightly surprised by it, "I'm not sure," he said, giving the swords in her lap a nod, "perhaps you should do the same thing to lord Masamune that you did to Chosokabe."

  
She blinked at the swords before giving a nod, "I think I might," she said, getting to her feet and giving Kojuro a smile, "Thanks Kojuro."


	27. Captured

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter!

 

She left the tent, heading through the tents and straight for Masamune's tent. She needed to see if he was for real or if he was just being a jealous prick that would become bored of her and toss her away like yesterday's news. She took a deep breath, swallowing the fear and anxiety that came with these thoughts. She saw Masamune's tent about a block's worth away when Kori vibrated on her back.

  
_My power crystal,_ his voice was quiet and empty, like he couldn't believe it, _it's close by._

  
Max blinked, thinking about what Ryushiro said about Kori's power ball thing before she felt something against the back of her head. She stopped in her tracks, her eyes going wide as she looked ahead.

  
"Well, well, well, if it isn't that bitch that shot my lord husband," a cold female voice said from behind her. Max wanted to look back but tightened her jaw instead, closing her eyes in a silent prayer, "it seems Oda Nobunaga, my husband would like me to take you alive," she hummed before her voice became venom, "but he never said in one piece."  
Max heard the sound of the hammer being pulled back on the gun.

  
_**Max**_ , Kasai's voice was low and stern, _**we're going to get you out of this. You'll just have to listen and move exactly when we tell you.**_

  
Max gave a single tilt of her head, as if to let him know she understood. She took a deep breath, slowly opening her eyes as she looked forward, almost hoping Masamune would come out of his tent.

  
_**DUCK!**_ Kasai's voice was loud in her head, making her drop instantly as the woman pulled the trigger. The bullet flew over her head, barely missing her. The woman looked stunned as Max pulled Kasai from her back and turned, cutting across the gun and knocking it from the woman's hands. She held the sword pointed at the woman, the tip just above her skin as Max placed her hand on the hilt of the other sword. The woman looked shocked and angry and a little frightened.

  
Max smirked at her, she couldn't help it, as she glanced down at the snowflake shaped crystal hanging from a chain around the woman's neck, "I have a friend that would very much like that crystal back," she said, making the woman blink at her.

  
The woman narrowed her eyes at Max, baring her teeth before a smirk spread across her lips, "you think you can hold me here until someone comes, don't you?"

  
Max narrowed her eyes at the woman, knowing that something wasn't right before a smoke bomb appeared between them. Max blinked at it before her eyes went wide and the bomb exploded. She covered her mouth, coughing hard before she was lifted from her feet and thrown over something. She called out, hoping that someone heard her as the sword dropped from her grasp. She was carried out of the smoke and across the field with such speed that she could barely breathe. They took her through the trees as she hollered, finally getting ahold of herself enough to slam her fists between the man's shoulder blades, making him grunt and tumble from the limb he landed on. She cried out as she fell, reaching out for something, anything. Someone grabbed her mid fall, holding her under their arm as they stood over her. She blinked, looking up at the snake like man with wide, fearful eyes as he grinned down at her.

  
He pulled Kori, from her back, his grin widening as frost started to climb up his hand and arm, "still fighting, are you Kitsune?" he said, his voice a cold hiss that made her shiver.

  
"Give him back!" she growled, reaching for Kori, "he belongs to me!"

  
The man looked down at her with cold, calculating eyes before smiling. She shivered again, "well, Fallen Star. You may be of more use to me than I thought," he said, his voice venomous in her ears.

  
"Put me down and give me back my sword!" she growled, bringing her elbow around and hitting him in the pelvis.

  
He smirked down at her, "I know better now, Fallen Star," he said, before lifting her up and tossing her over his shoulder, "come! We must return her to Lord Nobunaga so we can win this war."


	28. A Flame In the Darkness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter gets REALLY sick and graphic. You've been warned.

 

Max sat in the cell with her legs crossed, glaring at the door they had locked. The snake dude had taken Kori from her, saying something about using him for "the plan", whatever that was. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, thinking about what she should have done and could have done but didn't. _I should have just cut that bitch down and moved on. I should have called out for help. I should have stayed in the tent with Kojuro and talked things out with him._ She shook her head, knowing that now, these thoughts didn't matter. She was a captive in a war she had nothing to do with because of the stupid prophecy thing. She frowned, rolling her shoulders and missing the weight of the swords on her back. _I hope Kori and Kasai are okay_ , she thought, glancing up out the barred window at the night sky. The latch on the door brought her attention to the door as it opened and in stepped a young kid, with a bow slung over his shoulder. His bangs were tied up in a standing ponytail while he wore a humored smile. He dropped into a sitting position across from her and just stared at her, like she was an animal in a zoo that might do a trick.

  
He clicked his tongue, putting his hands behind his head as he gave her annoyed eyes, "you're supposed to be this great Fallen Star? There's nothing special about you at all."

  
Max just blinked at him before nodding at the door behind him, "mind telling your boss that so I can leave? As pleasant as my stay here has been, I would rather not be here," she said getting a blink from the boy before he laughed.

  
"You're funny," he said, leaning forward with his chin in his palm, "I guess if you're nothing else, you could be a court jesture."

  
Max just gave him annoyed eyes before looking back out at the night sky, "you guys are going to regret taking me captive. You do realize that, right?" she asked, looking back at the boy, who looked more amused now.

  
"They would have to get past a lot of ninja forces before even being considered a threat," a female voice said before the woman from earlier strolled in. She looked Max over with such distaste that Max could almost feel the hate coming off of her, "you, are no threat to anyone without your magic swords."

  
Max blinked rising to her feet as she stared at the woman, "where's Kori? What have you done with my sword?" she asked, feeling a wash of anger. She was glad for it because she was tired of feeling sadness and fear.

  
The woman smirked, folding her arms over her chest, "Mitsuhide is testing some of his...experiments out on your weapon," she said, giving Max a cold grin.

  
"Give him back or I'll..." She was cut off by the woman's snort.

  
"You'll what? You have no weapons. No skills, and you probably don't even have anyone coming searching for you," she woman clicked her tongue, "Fallen Star, indeed."

  
Max balled her hands into fists at her sides, her nails cutting into her palms, "I will get my sword back," she said, pointing at the crystal around the woman's neck, "and that crystal as well."

  
The woman laughed before turning and leaving the room with the boy in toe, "we'll see."

  
Several hours passed as Max paced the room, thinking of how she was going to get out of there. Sasuke had told everyone that the area the Oda was in was so heavily fortified that they couldn't get through to check out what was happening on the inside. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to concentrate on her thoughts before a loud scream broke through the eerie silence of the castle. She jumped, thinking that she should have been expecting that but still shocked at the sound. She stopped pacing and listened, her heart beating wildly in her chest and her breathing the only sounds she heard until another scream broke through. She furrowed her brow, thinking about what would happen to her if she told Nobunaga no again. Masamune and Yukimura wouldn't be here to rescue her. She took a deep breath and nodded, _then I'll just have to rescue myself._ She took a seat against the wall opposite the door and waited, her eyes fixed on the handle.

  
She knew it was morning only by the light coming in from outside. There were no birds chirping. No sound of men laughing and joking. No smell of food in the air. It was like everything except the light itself was snuffed out. The door to her cage opened, making her eyes widen at the man that entered. Oda Nobunaga stood in front of her as fersome and terrifying as he was the first time she had seen him. She swallowed the fear and forced a glare into her eyes. Don't let him scare you, Max, she told herself as she got to her feet.

  
"What the Hell do you want?" she growled, proud that her voice didn't sound scared at all.

  
Oda smirked at her, his red eyes shining at her like a demon's, "you will join me or you will die," he said, his voice cold and firm.

  
She shook her head, "not this again. I already told you no," she said, folding her arms over her chest. She was trying to look impatient but was really hard trying to hold the chill his gaze gave her at bay, "now take a flying leap, Nadanaga."

  
He narrowed his red eyes at her before smirking and turning to leave. He paused in the doorway, looking at the woman, "punish her," he said simply before disappearing through the doorway.

  
Max blinked as a cruel smile spread across the woman's face. She turned, giving Max that smile as she moved forward. She lifted her gun and shot Max in the leg, causing her to drop instantly from the searing pain.

  
"AHH!" Max screamed, putting her hand over the wound as she lay on the ground.

  
The woman stood over her, the gun pointed down at her as she shot Max in the shoulder, ripping another scream from her mouth. The woman knelt down, covering Max's mouth with her hand as she grinned like a devil and pushed her finger into the shoulder wound, causing Max to scream into the woman's hand as tears started to fall. She twisted her finger in the wound, pulling more screams and trears from Max. She removed her finger, giving Max enough time to breathe before she knelt down on the leg wound. Max gave a pained groan before screaming again as the woman put the gun against Max's hand and pulled the trigger. Pain shot up her arm, making her cry and scream as her hand gushed blood. The woman put her finger through the hole in Max's hand, wiggling the tip of her finger on the other side as Max gave a crying scream. The last thing she remembered was the woman laughing maniacally.

  
She didn't know how long it was before she woke up, but it was night time and the pain was still throbbing and she was still bleeding. She gave a hoarse cry as she sat up, pulling her hand into her chest as she huffed through her teeth. She scooted back to lean back against the wall, sobbing as she looked down at the wound in her leg wincing as she moved it slightly. She cried out, slamming the back of her head against the wall to make the pain move somewhere else. She sniffled, breathing heavily as she stiffly removed her shirt, cringing at the pain of her shoulder moving. She ripped the shirt apart with her teeth, tieing the knost as well as she could using her one hand and her teeth. The screams coming from somewhere else were almost inaudible through the pain, but she could still hear them. She took several breaths, trying to calm herself as she slumped against the cool stone wall, and closed her eyes. _Please. Somebody. Help._ she thought as she drifted down into the darkness.

 

  
_There was a light in the darkness. A glowing orange light like a flame that drew her to it. She reached out, her fingers brushing against the warmth of the flame before it burst out, covering the entire area in reds, oranges, and yellows. Magic color dancing around her and coming together to form...something. A person? She blinked, watching as the person came into view. He was tall, a head taller than her at least, making him around six foot. His wild red hair was cut short, making it stand out in places. His shoulders were broad, covered by armor with reds, browns and blacks, making her think of Shingen and Yukimura. His large arms didn't have any armor at all and she thought that maybe he was a hand to hand fighter of some sort. His face was pleasant with a single scar that ran from under his left eye, curving down and over his lips to cut away at his chin. His eyes snapped open, looking around the darkness for something until they fell on her. He looked her over, his golden, reptilian eyes causing her to swallow before he gave her a smile. He held his hand out to her, his gaze and smile gentle._

  
_"Max," he said, his voice sounding familiar, "come here."_

  
_She blinked, starting to reach out only to feel a sharp pain in her shoulder, making her cry out._

  
_His golden eyes widened in confusion, "Max, what's wrong?" he asked, his deep voice panicky as he turned to face her fully_

  
_She gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut, the tears starting to flow, "it hurts," she cried, bringing her hand up to cover one of her eyes as she opened them. She stared with wide, fearful eyes at the hole that appeared in her hand, the blood slowly dripping down her arm. She gritted her teeth at the wound before looking up at him._

  
_His face was angry...no, furious. Fire sparked from his hands, consuming his arms and shoulders in flame as he glared at her hand. He looked up at her, "we're coming, Max," he said, his eyes flashing sympathy as he reached for her, "just hold on a little longer."_

  
_She felt panic as the flaming man started to drift away. She reached out, desperate to take hold of him as she screamed, "DON'T LEAVE ME!"_

 

  
She woke to being kicked in the gut, making her hiss in pain as she lost the air in her lungs.

  
"About time," the boy from a few days ago said, clicking his tongue as he took step back.

  
Max slowly sat up, holding her injured hand to her chest as she looked up at Nobunaga. Fear shot through her at the memory of the woman "punishing" her.

  
Nobunaga gave her a cold smile, his eyes like the pits of Hell itself, "well, Fallen Star. Did Nohime convince you to join me?" he asked, looking like he already knew the answer.

  
Max looked at him and shook her head before she could stop herself, "go fuck yourself, Odar," she said, her voice slightly shakey, but she could blame that on the pain.

  
His smile turned into a frown, "very well," he said, looking at the boy and giving him a nod.

  
The boy grinned before turning to face her fully. He knelt down, pulling a blade from behind his back and sliced across her upper stomach, making her yelp in pain and try to scramble back. Her back hit the wall, making the boy's grin widen, "I'm going to have fun with you," he said, moving forward with the blade. She put her inured hand out, forcing him to stab through the cloth and bullet hole, making her cried out in pain. Sharp pain that made her want to curl up and kick something at the same time. He pulled the blade back, laughing as she jerked her hand into her chest again. "Fun," he hissed, moving the blade across, cutting across her bottom lip and chin. She reached out, trying to smack his hand away as he brought it back for another slice. He laughed, grabbing her wrist and squeezeing before lifting her arm up and slicing down the length of it. Not too deep, but deep enough to hurt. She screamed, closing her eyes as he continued the cut down her arm and around her shoulder. He let go, dropping her down to lay on the ground with her arm and hand cradled against her chest. She opened her eyes at the sound of footsteps and stared through tearfilled slits at the Oda's feet.

  
"Will you join me, Fallen Star?" he asked, his deep voice making her cold.

  
She took a deep breath, gritting her teeth as she pushed herself to a sitting postition and looked up at Nobunaga, "go...fuck...yourself...Odie," she managed between each huff of pain.

  
He frowned and turned, leaving the cell and her alone with the demented boy.

  
The boy shrugged, "oh well," he said, giving her a grin of a demon, "looks like I have you all to myself."

  
He moved toward her, holding the knife in front of him as she gave him wide eyes, frantically shaking her head. "Please, no," she whispered, begging not to be injured anymore.

The grin on the boy's face widened as he knelt in front of her.

  
"But that isn't fun," he said, slashing the blade across her cheek, making her gasp before he stabbed her in the side, twisting the knife back and forth while she screamed.

  
She passed out from the pain after the four stab like that. Her body giving out.

 

  
_(It's cold. so, cold.) she thought as she drifted in a sea of darkness. (Everything hurts. It all hurts.)_

  
_"Max," she heard that deep voice again and looked around. A small flame in the distance caught her attention, making her blink at it. She wanted to run to it, knowing that it was warm and safe, but her feet wouldn't move. She couldn't move._

  
_"Max," the voice called again. Why does that voice sound so familiar?_

  
_"Max," this time, the voice was behind her. She turned, looking up at the tall, flaming wild man. His eyes searched her face, looking for something before he frowned. His hand reached out, his rough fingers brushed her lips, making her wince. (That's right. That boy cut me.) "Max, where are you?" he asked, his voice coaxing and gentle._

  
_She blinked, looking down at his partially exposed tanned chest, and shook her head, "I don't know," she said, her eyes going back up to his, "Oda Nobunaga's got me, but I don't know where I am," she felt the tears start to sting her eyes, burning them, "I don't want to be here. They took Kori and I dont know what they're doing to him but I keep hearing screaming," she sobbed, wrapping her arms around herself, "Oda keeps coming back and asking if I'll join him and every time I say no he has someone hurt me," the tears broke free, trailing down her cheeks and stinging the cuts, "I'm scared and I can't keep this up, Kasai." She didn't know how she knew, but she knew it was Kasai, the Salamander from the sword that she dropped._

  
_He let out a calming breath before holding his arms out, "come here, Max. Let my flame warm you fo..." he didn't even get the words out before she was against his chest, trying to soak up as much heat as she could. He slid his arms around her, holding her as he allowed his body to heat up slightly, becoming a personal heater for her. "We're going to get you, Max," he said against her hair, "just stay strong, spark."_

  
_She gave a sob, gripping his chest with her fingers as she tried to burrow through him, "I don't know if I can," she said, her words choppy with each breath._

  
_"I have faith in you, Spark," he said, raising his temperature, slightly._

  
_She sniffled and gave a small nod, enjoying the peace she felt surrounded by Kasai's warmth, "who picked you up?" she asked, her eyelids getting heavy with sleep._

  
_"Yukimura," he said, giving her a small squeeze, "he knew you wouldn't have run off without Kori or I and you definately wouldn't have left me exposed on the ground like you did. Kojuro said you were going to see Masamune and when Masamune said you never showed up, Yukimura called a meeting to figure out what happened." He paused, turning his head slightly to rest the side of his chin against her head, "Masamune carries me for now. He said that I needed a home until we got you back," Kasai chuckled, "he's using me as a replacement for one of his dragonclaw swords, but he seems to have a hard time controling me like you do."_

  
_Max smiled, feeling the first surge of joy and pride she had felt in several days, "Kasai, please behave yourself for Masamune. He's just trying to help," she said, leaning back slightly to look up at the Salamander._

  
_Kasai rolled his eyes, "fine, but, so you know, he doesn't have near as soft hands as you do," he said, lifting one of her hands. He frowned at the slice down her arm and had to refrain from squeezing her, "I will kill whomever did this to you."_

  
_Max put her head against his chest, closing her eyes as she did, "I wish you were free so you could help everyone plan and rescue me," she said as he lowered her hand and arm back to rest against his body, "with everything I am, I wish to set you free."_

  
_It was like something snapped, making him grunt as he lost his balance. Max blinked, grabbing onto him to help keep him up, "Kasai, are you alright?" she asked as he put his hand to his head and shook it._

  
_"I...I don't know," he said, looking up at her before he looked down at his fading limbs, "what's going on?"_

  
_"Kasai?" Max felt panic before he gave her a gentle smile._

  
_"So, that's it, huh?" he thought aloud, shaking his head as he stood straight, "I'll be there for you, Max. Real soon, I think."_

  
_He faded away, leaving Max alone in the darkness as she called out, "KASAI!"_


	29. The Final Blow

 

Max awoke the next night, feeling sad and miserable after spending all that time searching the darkness for Kasai and coming up with nothing. She watched the door, waiting for the next round of beatings and when something heavy hit the door with a loud grunt. She blinked, wanting to investigate but terrified of what she might find. For all she knew, she was being baited. The latch to her cell unlocked and she closed her eyes, mentally preparing for the pain while her body still ached from the torture.

  
"Max," a smooth voice slid over her like a cool breeze, making her open her eyes as a man stepped into her cell. His long white blonde hair was tied back in a low ponytail, pulling all but his bangs away from his eyes and forehead. He stood almost as tall as Kasai except leanly built instead of the largeness that was Kasai. His wore a flowing pale blue Kimono with a royal blue sash sinched at the waist. His long tail flicked out behind him, as he scanned over her with cool ice blue eyes, making her swallow as she, also, looked him over. 

  
"Kori," she croaked out, her voice rough from the screaming.

  
He let out a sigh and shook his head, resting the sword he once resided in on his shoulder as he walked toward her. He stood in front of her, looking down with those ice blue eyes before a loud explosion shook the castle. She hissed as a rock fell from the ceiling, hitting her injured shoulder, because of course it does.

  
Kori looked up at the window and clicked his tongue, "about damn time," he growled, spining the blade around his head a couple of times before, expertly, sliding it into the sheath on her back. He knelt beside her, carefully putting her arm over his shoulders as he helped her to her feet. She hissed at the fabric of his kimono brushing against her wounds, making him sigh again. He moved her arm from around his neck before lifting her bridal style. She didn't bother to fight him as another explosion shook the ground under their feet. He clicked his tongue, moving across the room and out of the cell in a few strides, "Chosokabe doesn't believe in making sure you're out before blowing the place up," he growled as he made his way down the hallway with Max in his arms.

  
"Did you get your power crystal back?" she asked, making him hesitate and look down at her, his ice blue eyes widened slightly with surprise.

  
"You're in mortal danger and you're worried about my power crystal?" he asked, sounding as shocked as he looked.

  
Max smiled, "I promised I would get it back for you and I'm going to," she said, wincing as she tried to adjust herself in his arms.

  
He sighed and shook his head, "you're a strange human," he mumbled, before leaning against a wall just before a corner, "I wanted to be free, is all."

  
Max shook her head, giving a kick that made her hiss in pain, "put me down, Kori," she said, only to be ignored. She gave another kick, making him click his tongue at her, "put me down."

  
He glared at her before roughly setting her down, "you're severely injured, how are you going to get my power crystal back like that?" he asked folding his arms over his chest.

  
She gave him an annoyed look as she started to limp down a hallway.

  
"The way out is this way," he growled, pointing in the opposite direction.

  
"But the power crystal is this way, right?" she asked, moving forward without looking back at him.

  
He gave a frustrated growl as he followed, suddenly wishing that he was back in the sword.

  
She stepped into a wide open room, glancing around before moving farther in. Kori clicked his tongue and reached out, taking hold of her arm to stop her, "you shouldn't just go in like this," he growled, giving her angry blue eyes.

  
Max gave him a sharp look before jerking her arm from his grasp, stumbling back a couple of steps before righting herself, "I promised," she growled, her eyes widening in surprise as a evil female laugh echoed throughout the room. She turned, facing the woman, Nohime, from across the room.

  
"I will give it to you, Fallen Star, you have drive," she said, lifting the gun from her side and pointing it at her, "but that won't be enough."

  
Max stood frozen, the feeling of being shot still aching in the wounds on her body. She closed her eyes as the woman started to pull the trigger. A loud explosion brought her eyes open as the room was shrouded in dust and debris.

  
"MAX!" Kori's voice rang out as he grabbed her waist, pulling her back and placing himself between her and the explosion. Wood beams and stone bounced off his back, barely phasing him as he held her close to keep her protected.

  
Fire engulfed the room, wrapping itself around the woman as she screamed and batted at the flames, trying to put herself out. She cried out as she burned, the smell of burning flesh assaulting Max's nose, making her cringe at the noises and scents coming from Nohime's body. She closed her eyes, wishing that she was somewhere else as a coolness covered her, starting at Kori's hand and moving out over her body. It kept the flames at bay as they lapped at her feet and legs, making her grip his kimono in fear. Almost as suddenly as the flames started, they were put out. Kori slowly lifted himself from around Max, glancing over his shoulder at the smouldering remains of Nohime. Max slowly opened her eyes, looking past Kori to Nohime's body and swallowed, still smelling the burning.

  
"Sorry I'm late," a deep voice said from the hole in the ceiling. Max looked up as Kori clicked his tongue. A large man dropped from the ceiling along with Kojuro and Sasuke, landing gracefully in front of them, "we got a little...held up." The man gave them a smile with glowing golden eyes, instantly telling Max that it was Kasai, with his wild red hair and minimal armor. His smile turned to a frown as he looked her over.

  
"Lady Max, are you alright?" Kojuro asked, moving forward as Sasuke did.

  
She looked at them both with such relief she started to cry, "I..." she stammered, her knees giving out under her as Sasuke caught her.

  
"Easy, Max. Take it easy," he said to her, trying to soothe her as she hugged him.

  
"You came for me," she sobbed, looking at Kojuro with, almost, wonder.

  
Kojuro gave her a smile and took her hand, kissing the back of it as she gave his hand a squeeze, "of course we did," he said, his deep voice soothing.

  
Sasuke lifted her into his arms, holding her tight against his chest as he looked at Kasai and Kori, who was removing something from the ashen body of a woman. "Tell the others that we've got Max back," he said, getting a nod from Kasai and Kojuro, "I'm going to take her back to the camp as quickly as possible."

  
Kojuro nodded and left, leaving them with the two sword spirits. Kasai moved across the room, standing in front of Max and Sasuke as he looked Max's body over with analyzing eyes. "In your dream state, you never revealed how much damage was done to your body," he said, sounding a little awestruck.

  
Max gave him a small smile as she leaned her head against Sasuke's shoulder, feeling safe, "if you knew, would it have really mattered?" she asked, not bothering to open her eyes.

  
He smiled and shook his head, "not without you releasing me," he said, giving her a bow, "I thank you for that, Max, and will remain within your debt until the end of time."

  
Max opened her eyes and looked at the large Salamander with a smile, "I didn't know it would have been that easy or I would have done it the first day," she said, getting a chuckle from the yokai.

  
He lifted the sword in his hands and moved forward to slide it back into the sheath on her back, "I will remain within the sword until you need me," he said, turning into a flame that rushed at the orange and yellow hilt. The flame disappeared into the hilt, causing it to glow briefly before cooling.

  
Max looked across the room to Kori, who was looking at the crystal in his hand, "if you want to leave, I won't stop you," she said, giving a cough laugh, "not that I could."

  
Kori blinked, turning his surprised eyes to her before he took a deep breath, releasing it as he placed the necklace around his own neck and walked toward them, "I don't think you would survive very long if I didn't remain," he said, giving her a smirk before turning into a cold flame. The flame rushed to the other sword on her back, causing the hilt to glow before settling.

  
"Thanks guys," Max sighed as she leaned against Sasuke, giving a sigh and she turned her face more into his shoulder, "I'm ready to go home, Sasuke."

  
Sasuke gave her a small smile before leaping up and out of the hole in the ceiling. He ran through the turmoil that was the surrounding area, dodging flailing swords and wild swings to keep her from being injured farther. _I have to get her to the trees_ , he thought his grip on her shoulders tightening as he held her closer. Something in front of him drew his attention, causing him to stop dead.

  
"Give me back the Fallen Star," Nobunaga stood in front of him with an angry expression, his oversized sword sat upon his shoulder, covered in blood from the foes that lay dead around him.

  
Sasuke clicked his tongue and glared at the man, knowing that he would have to put Max down if he stood any chance of protecting her. Nobunaga smirked at him before moving forward, letting the sword drop from his shoulders for the tip to drag, menacingly along the ground.

  
"Give me back the Fallen Star," he said, his voice cold.

  
Max shifted in Sasuke's grip, looking at Nobunaga with a lack of emotions. _I_ _'m tired of everyone treating me like an object_ , she thought, looking up at Sasuke as he took a step back. "Put me down," she said, making him look down at her in surprise.

  
Sasuke shook his head, taking another step back as he did, "no. I won't," he said, crouching as if he was going to make a run for it.

  
Max gave a hard kick, making him lose his grip on her legs and drop them. The sudden hit with to ground jarred her, making her hiss in pain as his arms wrapped around her waist.

  
"Max, what do you..." the look she gave him made him stop.

  
She gave him a shove, the surprise causing him to stumble back and fall to his butt. She turned to face Nobunaga, pulling the swords from her back. She winced from the movement of her shoulder, trying to push past it as she held them in front of her, ready to fight.

  
_**Max! What the hell do you think you're doing?**_ Kasai growled, the blade glowing with his eyes looking through.

  
_You are not healed enough to fight Oda,_ Kori snarled, his eyes looking through his blade as well.

  
"If I don't end this now, Nobunaga's going to kill everyone I care about," she said, her eye burning with unshed tears as she faced the evil warlord.

  
_You're injured_ , Kori's voice hissed, you can't just fight him and win.

  
_**You haven't had enough training**_ , Kasai said, the hilt of his sword started to grow hot in her hand, making her wince.

  
"Kasai, stop it," she ordered, turning to blade so she would see his eyes, "you'll melt my hand to your sword before I'll let go."

  
His golden eyes widened before the hilt cooled. His eyes disappeared from the blade for a moment before the blade caught fire, making her blink. _**If you're going to die, then you might as well make a show of it,**_ his voice sounded confident but sad.

  
She smiled, giving the hilt a small squeeze as Kori's blade turned to ice, steam rolling off of it in waves of mist.

  
_I won't let you die, unlike the Salamander_ , Kori's voice was taughting, making Kasai laugh at the challenge.

  
Max gave the swords a nod as she looked up, watching Nobunaga ready his sword and rush forward.

  
_Remember what we taught you, Max,_ Kori's voice was gentle and demanding.

  
She waited, time seeming to slow as Nobunaga brought his sword over his head, bringing down in a power blow. Max brought both her swords up, crossing them and catching his sword in the cross. The strength behind the attack made her drop to her knee, even as she held the blade at bay. She ground her teeth, ignoring the screaming in her shoulder as she pushed herself to her feet. She gave a loud roar, sliding the swords apart as she pushed, making Oda stumble back a couple of paces. Giving her the opportunity to rush forward, swinging the flaming sword around to connect with his chest armor. Kasai dinged off the chest piece, bouncing back and causing her to spin away from the evil man.

  
_You have to slice through not just hit him_ , Kori's voice was angry.

  
_**Oooowwww**_ , Kasai groaned in her head, making her give him an apologetic half smile.

  
"Sorry Kasai," she said, jumping back as Nobunaga brought his blade down where she had been standing.

  
_**It's fine, Spark,**_ he said as the flames moved down the hilt, gently carressing her right hand as if it were a hand itself, _**just breathe and attack his sides. The armor doesn't cover his under arms.**_

  
_Yes_ , Kori agreed, a cool touch moving over her left hand as well, _he makes large swings over his head. When he's at his peak, attack._

  
She gave a nod, jumping back and stumbling as he injured thigh reminded her that she was hurt. She gave a hiss of pain, furrowing her brow as she bit back a holler. _AAAHHHHH!_ she screamed internally, causing the swords in her hands to vibrate for a moment.

  
The flames moved up her arm and down her body, stopping just before the wound on her leg. _**I didn't realize you were this injured,**_ Kasai's voice was sad before she felt the flames burn her, making her yelp, _**you shouldn't be fighting with this injury.**_

  
"Either heal it or shut the fuck up," she snarled, pushing herself into a standing position as she glared at Nobunaga. She raised Kasai and pointed it at him, "Nobunaga! You'll die here by my hand!"

  
Oda Nobunaga gave her a smirk as he moved forward, a manacing grin on his face, "you will be mine, Fallen Star," he growled, raising the blade high above his head.

  
**NOW!** both yokai screamed in her head, pushing her forward.

  
She screamed, bringing Kasai up as she turned, slicing through Oda's underarm with a sizzling hiss. Nobunaga hollered, dropping the giant sword as he brought his hand to his armpit. Max brought Kori down over his shoulder, the ice blade freezing the armor, making it crack under the pressure of her sword. It shattered, crumbling to the ground as she brought Kasai around, slicing clean through his arm, removing it from his shoulder. Blood spurted from the wound, splattering her face and clothes as Nobunaga fell to his knees. She stood over him, glaring down at the man as he started to shake.

  
"Not much fun being afraid, is it?" she asked, glaring at him as he lifted his head.

  
Her eyes widened at the grin he was giving her, phychotic laughter bubbling from his blood filled mouth, "I will find and destroy you in the next life," he said, between laughs.

  
She flinched from the curse before raising the blades above her head, bringing them both down in a single strike, "see you there," she snarled.

  
She felt the blades cut through before a bright light engulfed her, lifting her from the ground and throwing her through the air. She screamed, covering her face with her arms as she gripped Kasai and Kori tightly. She could hear someone screaming her name. Several someones, as she span through the blinding light. When the light dispersed, she blinked at her surrounding, disoriented. It was raining, a warm rain that stung her injuries and made her wince. She blinked at the green grass before turning to face the delapidated monk statue. She inhaled several sharp breath, her vision becoming cloudy as she took a step toward the monk and collapsed. Her last thoughts were, _I'm home._

 

  
To Be Continued...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am working on the second part to this series, it just may take a while. You know, life and shit. Sorry that this one ended suddenly like it did, but you wouldn't want me to write the next one if it didn't, would you? 
> 
> *Self proclaimed Queen of Cliffhangers*


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